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I'd like to welcome you to the September 17th Board of Education meeting. We'll call this meeting to order. At this time, this airs will share the invocation. As we begin tonight's meeting, let us take a moment to reflect with gratitude on the success, success will start to another school year. The board has worked hard to move our district forward to strengthen communication, base challenges, and keep our students and educators at the center of our decisions. But the true success of this school year belongs

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to the dedicated teacher, staff, administrators, bus drivers, custodians, nutrition teams, support staff,

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and so many others who show up every day for our students. As we conduct our business tonight,

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may we lead with wisdom and humility, listen with open minds, and remember that every decision we make

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ultimately reaches a classroom and a child. May we continue building on our successes,

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working together through our challenges, and always remain focused on our shared purpose,

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providing the very best for the students of Kareta County.

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Thank you.

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At this time, Alexis will lead us in the pledge.

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Do I have a motion to approve tonight's agenda?

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Second.

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Second.

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All in favor?

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All right.

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All right.

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Now to our public comment session.

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The public comment session is a time when an individual or a group can address the board

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about our schools.

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This is not a time to speak about issues or concerns involving identifiable personnel.

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Matters of this nature should be submitted in writing to the superintendent and your concerns

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will be addressed.

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Individuals or groups will be called in the order in which they signed up and will be asked

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to limit their remarks to three minutes.

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And please state your name and address.

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Do we have people signed up tonight?

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Do we have anyone here for public comment that didn't know to sign up?

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Just want to make sure?

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Okay.

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All right.

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I just wanted to make sure.

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Did you have?

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Okay.

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Okay, I'm going to let you come up because I don't want someone to not be able to make a comment based on a technicality.

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Just come right forward and we're just going to sign up.

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Just while we're doing that, just so the public knows when you want to sign up for public comment, there's a sheet outside.

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And you just sign on that, but we're certainly not going to turn anybody away tonight, so thank you for coming.

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Mr. Wolff or Wolff?

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Wolff, all right, go right ahead.

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Okay, so on August 27th, the Carthac Elementary School, the bus was a substitute bus in

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the morning which is fine that happens, we all get that.

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They sent out the notice that there was going to be a substitute bus at the time of pickup

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and it was going to be an hour late, at the time of pickup.

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There was already kids on the bus corner waiting for the bus, some of those kids just sat there

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for an hour. That afternoon, they also substituted the bus. They split bus roads. They didn't

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alert anybody. Our kids were dropped off in an hour early. I've got a second grader

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and a fourth grader. Our neighbors have a kindergartener and a second grader. They were just kicked

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off the bus. Just, here you go. No parents, nothing. My kids ended up walking down the street.

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There was an adult home at a neighbor that played frankly. We don't really know.

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The kid, he took care of them, but they're assured it into his house.

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And again, you can understand my concern. I've got two little girls.

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Since then, we've been trying to, we've wrote the Transportation Department, we've been

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in contact with Ms. Dowdy, asking to see the videotape, so we can see the interaction

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between the bus driver and the bus monitor.

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Because it's beyond me that two people, two adults, would show kids off the bus of that

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by age throughout an entire bus route, yet they did.

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We've been trying to get a copy of that.

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We were told we'd be able to watch it just yesterday.

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We were told that the tape, if you will, I guess, was put back into circulation and

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record it over, and nobody would be able to watch it.

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Now, I'm in transportation myself, everything is digital these days, I mean, everything is digital.

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They said they watched it, so it's hard to believe that they didn't download the file and watch it.

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I'm very, very concerned about, when a parent asks, when there's an incident serious like this. The documentation isn't kept, right? It just seems beyond belief kind of. And the fact is, as they keep saying, well, we've taken care of this. We've asked, it hasn't been a corrective action. What actions have been taken?

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So far, we've got nothing.

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It's just very concerning.

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Right now, we welcome you to stay that they help

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reach out.

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There are some other things.

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It's not unusual for us not to be able to talk about corrective action.

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But thank you for taking the time to speak tonight.

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Thank you.

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At this time, we have a student board report.

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Alexis.

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So, JP nap.

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Even the students at JP nap have been adjusting very well lately.

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they're all getting to routines and they now like know what to expect from

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their teachers and their classes and their homework and what to do on time.

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There's not really much going on at the moment at JPNAP. I know on September

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25th there is an ASVAB Career Exploration Test that in

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16 in order to take it the students are going to be able to do that. October

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second, we were senior meeting in October 9th, we have our junior meeting in Club

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Day, which we have once a month, usually in the first Friday of every month.

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And then on October 16th, we have our chunk of trade event for FBLA, along with an

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art show. And then on October 20th is our Beta Club

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blood drive and I'm a part of beta club actually and it's going to be for a few

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hours. They have like some restrictions by encourage everybody's like people

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that can donate to show up and try. It is a lot. I know that North Carolina is

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also going through a blood shortage right now so it's very crucial and

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important that we get as much donors as possible.

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And then on October 22nd is

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usually will email out parents and let them know if their kid, if they would prefer them

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to come in and just speak to the parent, if they're struggling, it's very helpful to

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students, especially if they're just having a hard time.

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And then October 27th is our pre-ACT test, which usually the sophomores take that every year.

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And then on October 30th is our Monster Mash Dance, which that's pretty fun.

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it gives the students a chance to actually have fun and not have to like worry about school

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and all the stress for that. And then we also have our Charleston rat fundraiser going on right now

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for beta club.

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So that's pretty interesting and that's pretty cool thing to get to do.

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And then we also have our some trips planned for the future. We have a London and Paris trip that

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students are able to sign up for and then we also have a Japan trip and I think in 2028 which even

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the current juniors right now can even sign up for to like do as a last trip for JPNAP

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and yeah that's about it

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so she is playing tennis with me, so she did send me some comments.

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The PSAT will be administered at her at Cali High School on October 7th.

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Her at Cali School is offering over 26 different clubs for students to explore this year,

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and they do have a built-in club time, so students are excited about that.

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The first club day of this Friday, the students enjoyed getting to experience the different clubs.

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Shiloh herself is involved with the Safe Club, which is students against violence everywhere.

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Jim LeSloore to another year with a new member.

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The upcoming October SAT will be offered at Curts at Crystal, which is great for our students

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to be able to take back on October 3rd and they don't have to drive too far.

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Our FAFSA night will be Tuesday October 27th.

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Shiloh did want me to invite the community to the Homecoming Football Game, which is Friday,

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October 9th.

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and then students reminded of the incoming dance

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on October 10th.

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Students are gonna have a different assignment.

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Next month, they're gonna talk about the elective offerings

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at our elementary schools.

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There was a little concern about different offerings

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at different schools, so our student board members

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are gonna be great and do some work for us on that

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and have a presentation, so thank you.

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At this time, Matt Mullins and Kelly Harrison

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will be doing a transportation update.

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Good

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evening, Chairman Parker, ladies and gentlemen of the board and Dr. Loops.

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We're here, Ms. Harrison and I, to give a brief update on the current state of transportation,

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steps being taken for improvement and plans being implemented for better recruitment and

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retention in the future.

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For those of you who don't know Ms. Harrison, she came to us four years ago.

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So we recruited her from Camden.

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She came in as what we call a flex driver.

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She was given a full-time route.

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And she was given some office duties to fill the time.

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And she very quickly learned our business system software, critical processes in the office

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reports that needed to be done to satisfy DPI standards.

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and she's recently become a subject matter expert on our Tim's routing

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software, which is no small feat. But in the absence of Ms. Hoffman for

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maternity leave, we're very fortunate to have her on board. So I'm going to get

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into the first slide here.

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Current status, 43 routes being covered by 35 drivers

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for a shortage of eight.

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All buses are running elementary school routes, middle school routes, and high school routes.

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And the majority of those buses are running elementary school routes going back and

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getting another run, middle school routes going back and getting another run, and

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sometimes high school routes.

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We're currently accepting applications and interviewing as promptly as we get them,

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but unfortunately applicants are rare.

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We've interviewed two hired one

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and unfortunately within the first week he left

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the driver a charter service.

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So wish him luck.

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Before we leave this slide I would like to say

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that all of our drivers have stepped up,

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risen to the challenge, contact Kelly or myself on the radio.

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Do you have anything else you need us to do?

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Do you need us for a middle run?

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you need to pick up this group of children.

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Everybody has stepped up to carry her

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and help us out while Ms. Hoffman's out.

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And I can't say enough about the team we have right now

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from director down to the office staff

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at the schools and the APs who are helping out

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to cover the shortage that we have.

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Currently we're working on the 10-day drop-ad process.

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This process is a manual procedure implemented

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one student at a time.

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through the TEMS routing software, it allows the removal of students who have not written

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on buses in 10 days in the addition of students to buses from the extensive waiting list

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as space allows. When we started this process, we had 211 students who were registered after

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the deadline of August 7th that we could not fit on the buses due to the shortage of drivers.

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We're now down to, on that list, with the drop-ad process, we're down to 67. So we've added

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well over 150 students right out of 150 students to the routes due to the drop-ad process.

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We're conducting weekly transportation admin meetings to better organize and streamline

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the transportation process through coordination between transportation, HR, finance and the communication

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departments as well as superintendent and assistant superintendent.

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Moving forward, we've created a driver recruitment campaign that includes sharing information

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in relation specific to the ease of earning a CDL with curves up county schools.

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Flexible scheduling, reaching specific stakeholders, parents, retirees, people seeking supplemental income,

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piloting, drive your neighborhood option,

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candidates to be recruited to drive shorter shifts in their own neighborhood to support their neighborhood,

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either on elementary, middle, high, or all three, if they wish.

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This target's high density neighborhood, such as Evil Creek,

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Foss, Flora, Waterloo, Ranch Land, and this information has been shared,

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or some of it has been shared on our social media platforms

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and through additional channels.

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I'll explain that.

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So moving forward again, we've created a new web page,

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or should I say Ms. Bowyer has,

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add it to the Transportation Department section of the website,

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which details recruitment the requirements and steps becoming a school bus driver in North Carolina

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information has been shared with staff regarding incentive pay for electing to drive for athletics

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field trips or other after hours needs and I can say that since that hit our website or hit our

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emails on Monday have had about six phone calls from teachers wanting to drive athletic trips and

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and things of that nature and we're also reaching out to legislators to bring awareness to the barriers

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and concerns that exist in the hiring process.

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And what you'll see on the next few slides

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are some of the flyers that have been created again

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by our communications department, Ms. Bowyer.

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There we go.

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You have any questions?

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Yes, ma'am.

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There you go.

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Yes.

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How can it come to use directly or can they go to HR first?

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Applicants go into when they apply.

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I get an email, and then I call them as soon as they hit

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my email.

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A

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number of how many bus applicants there have been

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in the past two to eight months.

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I'm just curious, like, how many?

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That's probably some, I don't know if HR

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has that ability or not, but we'll look into it.

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I can tell you it's probably less than 20, but,

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but yeah, yeah.

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Yeah.

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It has a

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tremendous, yeah.

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Yeah.

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I think that's the power of the information

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of the community.

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Yeah.

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I understand that's a great question, Emily.

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Yeah.

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To understand what we're dealing with.

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We can't create them, we can't create applicants.

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yeah currently we have you had one in training this week correct did we have

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another one that was signed up we have one in training right now we have one

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that is got everything but her school was endorsement and that she will be

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taken a class on the 28th of October and and that's it for now right it's it

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for right now okay yeah we have two we have two so we're down eight bus drivers

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is that correct? Yeah. So if we had the eight bus drivers, everything would run smoothly for the most part much more smoothly for sure. Yeah, I mean we've been we've been down.

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This is probably the most we've been down, but we've been on five or six for the last couple of years and doing double run, triple runs going back and Kelly every day looks at which bus driver.

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I mean, and it's not just the eight that we're down, we have people that are sick, we have people that have to go to the doctor and she's splitting routes every day, which is no small feat.

237
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Thank you.

238
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First, thank you, Ms. Harrison, for stepping up.

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I know if it was me, it would be no, but I want to thank you for stepping up.

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I have a couple questions or comment is it so from from the start if you accept them

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till the time they can get on a bus and drive our students is how long?

242
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Two to three months. That's crazy. Yeah. We and I know that's not us. That is a state

243
00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:02,860
mandate. Yeah, it's state. Well, it's just a believe DMV is shorthanded as well. They have two people

244
00:29:02,860 --> 00:29:08,840
within a certain location, a region. Yeah. And they're covering every county. I think it's important

245
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That people just because somebody applies doesn't mean they're they're on a bus in a week.

246
00:29:13,140 --> 00:29:19,160
Yeah, you see the you see the dates. These are virtual dates. I learned today that the 28th through 30th

247
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date is closed.

248
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So we as a county get 10 people per virtual class. Be nice if we could get 10 people

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in that virtual class. But if we don't fill it up, they allow other people to fill it up. But I doubt

250
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any of them are getting forward. They must be doing something for people from the western part of

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state because that one is full, but it's every two weeks and then after they pass the test on the

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fourth day which typically they do but if they don't they have to take it again. We're looking at 14

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days minimum having the license before they can go on the road. Then they go on the road for three days

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and take a test and then they go through

255
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We're going to do the physical process and the licensing process at DMV, but it very rarely do you get the DOT person back here within that 14 days. It's usually 14, 21, 28, depending on his workload and other counties. Okay. And that what happens in that meantime, when they're waiting to get the bus. We lose people. Yeah, of course. They moved on. They need a job. Yeah. Yeah. We lose people. I can go get my CD.

256
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I can go pay for my CDO and I can go drive a dump truck or drive a garbage truck and make

257
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good money.

258
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All right, and the other thing is, and I always hate this when I say back when I was in

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school.

260
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But when I was in, I remember high school and college students were driving the buses.

261
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Is there a way we can connect with MACU or ECSU and COA and the students get extra credits

262
00:31:02,460 --> 00:31:04,540
if they drive a route?

263
00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:10,800
I know Ms. Dowdy's looking into some of those things and we're looking into coordinating

264
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with other places but that wasn't something that I thought about.

265
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I do know that we can't use high school students anymore, those days are gone.

266
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Even if they're dual enrolled.

267
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I believe they have to be 18 or older and out of school.

268
00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:33,400
Well, for instance, my daughter's 20, she is an online UNC Charlotte student, and it might

269
00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:39,180
be a target market audience to say, hey, come drive around, you're, you know, I don't

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know.

271
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Yeah.

272
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Okay.

273
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We're taking all brain strength to piggyback on that.

274
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So the state has a monopoly on how to certify.

275
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We would love to partner with COA.

276
00:31:52,940 --> 00:31:55,980
Mistality went down that route and we are not allowed.

277
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Only the state through the system were around with 13 other counties, they are in complete control.

278
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I have a question.

279
00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:13,320
So if they do already have their CDL, do they have to go through this whole process still?

280
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Yes.

281
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Okay.

282
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If they have a CDL without the PNS endorsements, they definitely have to go through the three day and the 14 day waiting period, but we're still fighting why if they come to us from this state or another state with a PNS endorsement, they're legal on the road according to the state patrol or the share department, but they're being told they have to go through at least a two day fast track program to recertify even though their license carries the

283
00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:48,860
was the class V with a PNS endorsement, which is what happened with our charter man.

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The man that left for a charter bus, he came here with PNS.

285
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We thought we could throw him on a bus and the DOT testing agent said, no, we have to

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send him through a class.

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And then we talked him down to okay, Kim, we do like a two day fast track, just visit, see

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how he does put him on a bus.

289
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And he finally agreed to that, but still, if he, if he has a PNS, why do we have to go

290
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through that?

291
00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:17,800
Yeah, especially if they have it in North Carolina and they've already been through the training

292
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So those those are the questions we have right now

293
00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:23,920
Melissa Jason

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Melissa, do you have anything? Yeah, I just had a quick question

295
00:33:28,420 --> 00:33:36,840
It was it was new to me. So we'll run in double routes at one school. Was that correct? Yes, okay, I was

296
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Being ignorant here

297
00:33:38,820 --> 00:33:44,060
I was assuming that they were leaving from they did an elementary school route then they could do a middle school route

298
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Sometimes I'm doing that's where it used to be sometimes they have to go but now they run a double routes for one particular school

299
00:33:51,100 --> 00:33:56,960
Yeah, yeah, we we've cleared up the one route temporarily at middle school that was

300
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Bus going out dropping off a load of students coming back by picking them up because we were so short-handed

301
00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:06,300
That's been temporary temporarily fixed by volunteers at hell hell

302
00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:12,120
But we, some, I mean, there are days when the bus is so full, we have to let one group

303
00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:17,340
or one neighborhood or one region sit at the school with a chaperone for a while and we

304
00:34:17,340 --> 00:34:18,840
come back and get them to go back out.

305
00:34:19,860 --> 00:34:20,300
Okay.

306
00:34:20,740 --> 00:34:21,200
Thank you.

307
00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:21,920
Appreciate it, Matt.

308
00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:23,520
Melissa, do you have anything?

309
00:34:30,940 --> 00:34:37,140
So we're missing a, do I remember correctly, Matt, when we had the transportation study done

310
00:34:37,140 --> 00:34:41,900
by North Carolina State, they actually recommended us having far more buses.

311
00:34:41,900 --> 00:34:56,480
But that's we don't have that big of a fleet correct. Well, we have we have 40 we have 43 plus how many spares maybe six or seven, but the spares can't be utilized. Yeah, but yeah, they told us if we did certain things.

312
00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:04,200
We might need 70 buses and we almost right. So I think that's important for the public to understand when we did the transportation study.

313
00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:10,200
the North Carolina state said yeah 60 or 70 buses would be great. One we

314
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:15,280
don't have the drivers for 60 or 70 to we don't have the funding. Yes right.

315
00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:21,280
How much is a school bus? They are up to 150 now. 150,000. So when I started

316
00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:26,200
here 10 years ago, they were about 105. They're over 150 now. Yeah. So we have

317
00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:31,020
the challenges of the geography of our district. Yes. Of how big it is. And the

318
00:35:31,020 --> 00:35:36,220
drivers and the drivers and the drivers is a nationwide problem. The other

319
00:35:36,220 --> 00:35:39,360
places may not have the funding and they may have buses sitting in a park in

320
00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:44,360
lot a lot more than we have but they well I can say this I know it's

321
00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:48,000
unpopular that I teach in Virginia. Yeah but I had students coming in an hour

322
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:53,400
late today. Oh yeah. And we have our cafeteria full every afternoon. Students go

323
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to the cafeteria for the for the four to five buses that are late and they

324
00:35:58,780 --> 00:36:01,300
they sit in the cafeteria until they're picked out.

325
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There's a message.

326
00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,880
So even in a place that's really well funded,

327
00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:09,240
that has enough buses, there's not enough drivers.

328
00:36:09,620 --> 00:36:14,260
I was sharing with Dr. Lutz that Oneslow County school board

329
00:36:14,260 --> 00:36:17,020
was dealing with this very issue within the last two weeks,

330
00:36:17,980 --> 00:36:19,800
trying to do an increase in pay.

331
00:36:20,140 --> 00:36:21,120
I mentioned that to Matt.

332
00:36:21,300 --> 00:36:22,920
Could he run some numbers?

333
00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:24,820
Would we be able to do a pay increase?

334
00:36:24,980 --> 00:36:26,320
That's what Oneslow was doing.

335
00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:43,200
Um, they're missing. They have hundreds of routes not covered. Yeah. So unfortunately, I hate it for parents. I can tell you, um, I hate it as a parent. I mean, my child's pickup is going to be 45 minutes to an hour. Yeah.

336
00:36:43,380 --> 00:36:52,820
And I get it when I'm sitting at work. Yeah. And I'm praying to God that the 15 year old does the right thing and goes to the bus stop 45 minutes late. So it's impacting all of us.

337
00:36:52,820 --> 00:36:58,100
Well, when we do our transportation count every year for DPI we've since I've been here

338
00:36:58,100 --> 00:37:02,420
We've been anywhere from 2,200 to 2,700 students. We're trying to transport

339
00:37:02,940 --> 00:37:09,640
We don't have the drivers to transport those so if we ever had to transport all of us

340
00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:14,880
As we've been more in the afternoon. Yeah, more in the afternoon than in the morning. I love over 3,000 in the afternoon

341
00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:21,600
3,000 students like last time I ran numbers it was like 2,700 in the morning and about 3,000

342
00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:25,360
on the low over 3,000 in the afternoon on 35 buses.

343
00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:30,480
On 35 buses, yes, and I think also the important information

344
00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:32,880
of 211 people missing a deadline.

345
00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,960
Yes, so you tried to plan for the correct amount of students

346
00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:39,820
and then 211 people decide not to meet a deadline.

347
00:37:39,900 --> 00:37:40,400
Yes.

348
00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:42,180
And so now we're dealing with that.

349
00:37:42,420 --> 00:37:45,280
Again, we're not making excuses, we're saying reasons.

350
00:37:45,420 --> 00:37:46,960
This is these are the facts.

351
00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:50,020
These are the reasons and so we need to come together.

352
00:37:50,720 --> 00:37:53,860
Ms. Boyer, I would love us to put something out.

353
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,480
I'm sure the state legislators will love me.

354
00:37:56,940 --> 00:37:59,860
We need to put something out with our representatives,

355
00:38:01,620 --> 00:38:05,360
Goodwin and Senator Tillett, emails and phone numbers.

356
00:38:05,580 --> 00:38:11,060
So our parents can call and make a complaint to the state about the licensing process.

357
00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:15,500
Because we have parents that are upset, I need to make a complaint to the state.

358
00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:18,160
Because this is a state problem that's tying your hands.

359
00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:24,320
Yes, I mean, we have two waiting, but it's they're not even going to be available to almost Thanksgiving probably

360
00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:31,160
And we'll have found another job so I would love us to come up with some kind of brochure

361
00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:37,820
So that parents know who they need to complain to I'm going to write a complaint as a parent because it's impacting me as well

362
00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:42,920
The only other thing that I think we're going to need to look at and I know it's not popular is

363
00:38:45,020 --> 00:38:47,200
alternating start and in times of schools

364
00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:51,920
and I know that's not popular but children have to get to school and they can't

365
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:56,540
miss an hour of instruction every day. They can't sit outside until five o'clock.

366
00:38:57,320 --> 00:39:02,040
And it might not fix anything but I do think it's my opinion is it's worth

367
00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:07,000
looking at. If we alternated times that that's not going to make a lot of

368
00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:11,020
parents happy if kids go to school at seven in the morning till two. If somebody

369
00:39:11,020 --> 00:39:16,560
starts at nine until four but I don't I think we're at a loss. I think we should

370
00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:19,440
We've probably put everything on the table and see what sticks.

371
00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:27,320
Yeah, we've been getting steadily worse since COVID people don't want to drive buses anymore.

372
00:39:27,500 --> 00:39:28,300
It's a difficult job.

373
00:39:28,540 --> 00:39:29,080
Yeah, it is.

374
00:39:29,340 --> 00:39:29,480
It is.

375
00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:30,460
It's a difficult job.

376
00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:31,120
Yeah.

377
00:39:31,380 --> 00:39:32,360
So thank you.

378
00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:33,760
Thank you for taking the time.

379
00:39:34,020 --> 00:39:34,260
I'm sorry.

380
00:39:34,500 --> 00:39:34,740
Go ahead.

381
00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:39,160
Um, what about outsourcing transportation?

382
00:39:39,720 --> 00:39:43,860
Is that even something worth looking into or is that they would have the same issues we

383
00:39:43,860 --> 00:39:44,080
have?

384
00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:44,540
Okay.

385
00:39:44,540 --> 00:39:51,560
I mean, you're saying Chesapeake, unfortunately, Chesapeake pays more than we do and they still have the same problems.

386
00:39:52,180 --> 00:39:58,420
People with the most of the people that we've had that have resigned recently, it's just been, I'm burned out.

387
00:39:58,740 --> 00:40:05,640
I'm ready for a change and one even told me yesterday I'm putting in my two week notice, but it's not about the money.

388
00:40:05,740 --> 00:40:06,620
It's about I'm tired.

389
00:40:07,260 --> 00:40:09,200
So it's unfortunate.

390
00:40:14,660 --> 00:40:18,500
I just think we're going to have to look at all possibilities because you're trying

391
00:40:18,500 --> 00:40:22,320
to run these runs and there's not enough time in between school times.

392
00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:26,520
Unfortunately Kelly gets a radio turns on at five o'clock in the morning and she doesn't

393
00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:29,400
use to get out of here until five thirty six o'clock at night.

394
00:40:29,720 --> 00:40:31,040
Thank you for all you're doing.

395
00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:32,700
We appreciate it.

396
00:40:32,860 --> 00:40:33,480
Thank you all.

397
00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:39,900
has one quick question yeah go ahead has has the bus stops has that helped at all you know

398
00:40:39,900 --> 00:40:45,360
we we stopped on the door door it's fed up the routes yeah especially in high density areas

399
00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:50,140
like water li and things like that because that's where I drove and it took me like 25 30 minutes to

400
00:40:50,140 --> 00:40:56,100
finish my route yeah yeah we were evil creek for many years we were stopping every two tenths of a

401
00:40:56,100 --> 00:41:03,300
mile okay door to door stops yeah the children can walk it's all right all right thank you man thank you

402
00:41:03,300 --> 00:41:03,820
Thank you so much.

403
00:41:06,260 --> 00:41:11,760
All right, at this time Ms. Mazzell has some information for us on finance.

404
00:41:24,220 --> 00:41:27,640
Good evening Chairman Parker, fellow board members and Dr. Loots.

405
00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:32,280
This evening I'm bringing the 2627 budget resolution for your approval.

406
00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:36,720
In your package, you received the budget resolution and the line item budget.

407
00:41:37,540 --> 00:41:44,540
Over the next few slides, I'm going to walk through a few different ways to look at this information to give you a clearer visual perspective of our numbers.

408
00:41:44,540 --> 00:41:44,780
numbers.

409
00:41:49,050 --> 00:41:57,450
Our proposed budget across all six operating funds totals $86,139,605. These

410
00:41:57,450 --> 00:42:02,830
six distinct funds include the State Public School Fund, the local current expense fund,

411
00:42:03,490 --> 00:42:09,890
federal grants fund, capital outlay fund, school nutrition fund, and other local funds.

412
00:42:12,650 --> 00:42:17,450
Looking at the State Public School Fund, our total budget is approximately $38.8 million.

413
00:42:17,450 --> 00:42:22,350
While we are receiving an allotment increase for a new school building administrator at

414
00:42:22,350 --> 00:42:28,470
Tuls Creek and mandated state level raises, benefit increases, and bonuses, we are also

415
00:42:28,470 --> 00:42:30,310
absorbing several state budget losses.

416
00:42:31,150 --> 00:42:36,770
These include reductions in classroom teacher positions, central office funding, teacher

417
00:42:36,770 --> 00:42:42,130
assistance, non-instructional support, textbooks, and classroom materials.

418
00:42:42,130 --> 00:42:48,510
These reductions were due to a decrease in our average daily membership from the 25-26 school year.

419
00:42:51,700 --> 00:42:59,640
Our local current expense fund totals approximately 18.2 million, which includes 17.6 million from the county appropriation,

420
00:43:00,840 --> 00:43:07,440
375,000 also from the county for charter school payments, and 250,000 from fines and forfeitures.

421
00:43:08,140 --> 00:43:12,180
In the past, the charter schools were included in the accounting appropriation number.

422
00:43:12,180 --> 00:43:18,580
DPI has requested that we separate that out to get a more accurate per pupil expenditure

423
00:43:18,580 --> 00:43:26,500
number. The reality of our operating budget is 17.8 million, S-375,000 must be paid directly

424
00:43:26,500 --> 00:43:27,900
out to charter schools.

425
00:43:30,890 --> 00:43:36,230
Turning to our special funds, federal funds total approximately 1.9 million,

426
00:43:36,970 --> 00:43:41,410
we face the post-COVID decline as Esther Pandemic relief dollars have expired.

427
00:43:42,050 --> 00:43:46,570
Additionally, Currytuck sits in the bottom tier of North Carolina districts for federal grant

428
00:43:46,570 --> 00:43:47,310
allocations.

429
00:43:47,930 --> 00:43:52,370
What that means is we qualify for less than other districts, or sometimes not at all.

430
00:43:53,290 --> 00:43:57,690
These federal grants also do not account for state mandated wage or benefit increases.

431
00:43:58,330 --> 00:44:03,270
As those amounts increase and our allotments stay flat, we're able to do less with those

432
00:44:03,270 --> 00:44:03,610
funds.

433
00:44:04,950 --> 00:44:07,970
School nutrition totals approximately 2.3 million.

434
00:44:07,970 --> 00:44:13,210
If you remember during the last fiscal audit, the auditor spoke to you regarding the state

435
00:44:13,210 --> 00:44:14,070
of school nutrition.

436
00:44:15,490 --> 00:44:19,970
Federal and state reimbursement rates have not kept pace with food and labor inflation.

437
00:44:20,810 --> 00:44:25,610
As a result, this enterprise fund will likely require local financial support before the

438
00:44:25,610 --> 00:44:26,230
year ends.

439
00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:34,220
Our total capital outlay budget is approximately 23.3 million.

440
00:44:34,220 --> 00:44:40,120
Keyed components include 16.2 million for the final bills for Tuls Creek Elementary School,

441
00:44:40,720 --> 00:44:46,840
4.7 million for capital improvement projects, 1.5 million from the county appropriation,

442
00:44:48,840 --> 00:44:58,060
$517,921 from the state lottery fund, $189,148 from appropriated fund balance,

443
00:44:58,060 --> 00:44:59,960
and 167.

444
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:29,640
$7,590 for yellow bus installments. Please note that actual cash expenditures for this fund are 1.5 million from the county appropriation and the 189,000 from fund ballots. As most capital funds flow directly through the county and the yellow bus installments flow through DPI. You'll notice fund ballots appropriated directly on the budget resolution for the first time this year. In the past, we handled these as carryover projects.

445
00:45:29,640 --> 00:45:34,940
V&M budget amendments, but shifting them to the upfront resolution makes our financial

446
00:45:34,940 --> 00:45:36,780
planning clearer and more transparent.

447
00:45:42,220 --> 00:45:47,980
This slide outlines our other local funds, which total approximately 1.5 million across

448
00:45:47,980 --> 00:45:49,020
three main categories.

449
00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:56,020
The majority of this allocation is 1.4 million dedicated to instructional services covering

450
00:45:56,020 --> 00:46:02,840
programs such as Medicaid, which directly supports our EC department, Pre-K and JROTC.

451
00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:11,140
$114,298 goes towards system-wide support, including things like finance, record scanning,

452
00:46:11,660 --> 00:46:13,360
and facility rentals.

453
00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:19,780
$2,248 is designated for ancillary services to cover school nutrition debt.

454
00:46:20,440 --> 00:46:24,160
This is where we collect student debt from prior years, that's why it's a small number

455
00:46:24,160 --> 00:46:28,620
at the moment because we're just starting to collect on prior last year's debt.

456
00:46:28,620 --> 00:46:28,700
But

457
00:46:32,640 --> 00:46:38,120
again, note that, oops, sorry, let me go back, got ahead of myself.

458
00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:43,260
Again, note that 1.5 million of this total fund is directly via other, is funded directly

459
00:46:43,260 --> 00:46:48,600
via other local fund balance appropriated, making up the vast majority of the 1.6 million

460
00:46:48,600 --> 00:46:49,360
dollar allocation.

461
00:46:50,220 --> 00:46:54,280
Over half of the amount is from the Medicaid programs that directly support our exceptional

462
00:46:54,280 --> 00:46:55,120
children department.

463
00:46:58,130 --> 00:47:01,090
Our proposed investments are concentrated where they matter most.

464
00:47:01,090 --> 00:47:08,690
$44.9 million dedicated to instructional priorities, $37.9 million for system-wise support,

465
00:47:09,230 --> 00:47:15,450
remembering that $16 million of that is dedicated for Tolls Creek, $2.3 million for feeding

466
00:47:15,450 --> 00:47:21,670
our students, and $791,000 in non-programmed charges for things like charter school payments,

467
00:47:22,390 --> 00:47:27,050
indirect cost, and un-budgeted funds to cover payroll for the next fiscal year.

468
00:47:27,630 --> 00:47:33,010
Federal funds don't drop until October or November each year if we don't carry over funds

469
00:47:33,010 --> 00:47:36,090
in those programs and we don't have money for payroll for our people.

470
00:47:39,810 --> 00:47:44,350
I wanted to pull these numbers off the spreadsheet and put them into a graph to give us a better

471
00:47:44,350 --> 00:47:45,190
sense of scale.

472
00:47:46,250 --> 00:47:51,210
Looking at the chart on the left, it seems like over a quarter of our budget goes to capital

473
00:47:51,210 --> 00:47:51,910
projects.

474
00:47:52,610 --> 00:47:56,870
But that figure is heavily inflated by the 16.2 million left for Tuls Creek.

475
00:47:56,870 --> 00:48:02,510
When we strip out that single construction project in the right hand graph, our ongoing

476
00:48:02,510 --> 00:48:04,610
operational picture becomes clearer.

477
00:48:05,470 --> 00:48:10,390
Capital spending drops from 27% down to a realistic 10%.

478
00:48:10,390 --> 00:48:15,590
Without that construction project skewing the chart, you can see that state actually carries

479
00:48:15,590 --> 00:48:22,210
56% of our day-to-day operations, while local current expense accounts for 25%.

480
00:48:22,210 --> 00:48:27,250
The graph on the right represents what our district's recurring financial commitments

481
00:48:27,250 --> 00:48:31,970
actually look like year to year once the bills for tolls creak are fully accounted for.

482
00:48:35,220 --> 00:48:42,140
We continue to face significant fiscal pressures from unfunded and underfunded mandates.

483
00:48:42,900 --> 00:48:48,660
These occur when state legislation requires specific services or staffing ratios without providing

484
00:48:48,660 --> 00:48:50,740
adequate state dollars to cover the costs.

485
00:48:50,740 --> 00:48:55,680
Some of our local major cost drivers include mandated employee bonuses,

486
00:48:56,500 --> 00:49:00,660
master's level pay for nurse salaries, school nutrition financial aid,

487
00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:04,440
exceptional children services, and local transportation costs.

488
00:49:08,100 --> 00:49:12,500
To conclude, this final slide details the breakdown of instructional services,

489
00:49:13,060 --> 00:49:17,780
system-wide support, and ciliary services, which is our school nutrition department,

490
00:49:18,420 --> 00:49:20,780
and non-programmed services across each fund.

491
00:49:20,780 --> 00:49:23,980
These are the levels at which the board approves our budget.

492
00:49:24,860 --> 00:49:29,040
These are the same numbers that you saw on the budget resolution just laid out a little

493
00:49:29,040 --> 00:49:29,480
pretty here.

494
00:49:30,600 --> 00:49:35,980
We are formally requesting board approval for the fiscal year 2627 total appropriations

495
00:49:35,980 --> 00:49:40,360
of $86 million, $139,605.

496
00:49:41,880 --> 00:49:44,480
Thank you, and I'm happy to take any questions that you have.

497
00:49:45,600 --> 00:49:47,120
Does anyone have any questions?

498
00:49:47,120 --> 00:50:00,720
I appreciate you taking the time to line item. Everything. It really does help. Okay. But I do have a question.

499
00:50:01,680 --> 00:50:03,820
Because there's a lot of lines. Yes.

500
00:50:06,080 --> 00:50:13,000
Is it broken down by school? I'm not sure because I I mean there's probably six lines.

501
00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:16,100
maybe more that just say teacher salary.

502
00:50:16,800 --> 00:50:19,680
So the way it's broken down is to match up

503
00:50:19,680 --> 00:50:20,760
with the budget resolution.

504
00:50:21,040 --> 00:50:22,800
So all the 5,000s are together,

505
00:50:23,160 --> 00:50:24,760
which is the instructional services,

506
00:50:24,940 --> 00:50:25,960
all the 6,000s.

507
00:50:26,000 --> 00:50:30,460
So it's pulling from different programs to all lump in.

508
00:50:30,740 --> 00:50:32,620
So yeah, it doesn't,

509
00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:34,680
it's not gonna lump all your teachers right together

510
00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:36,380
because they're paid out of different funds

511
00:50:37,140 --> 00:50:38,580
and sometimes a different program.

512
00:50:39,140 --> 00:50:39,420
Okay.

513
00:50:39,660 --> 00:50:42,160
So it's just showing what pots they're coming out of.

514
00:50:42,160 --> 00:50:45,700
If it's a CTE pot or if it's a pot from a state.

515
00:50:46,240 --> 00:50:51,060
It's showing it based on whether it's instructional services or whether it's system-wide support.

516
00:50:51,460 --> 00:50:59,380
The actual PRC is the program, which would be CTE, but that's not how our budget is laid out.

517
00:51:01,340 --> 00:51:02,600
Thank you very much.

518
00:51:03,040 --> 00:51:03,320
I appreciate it.

519
00:51:03,760 --> 00:51:09,840
Also, the state lottery number was the 500,000, 517, I think it was.

520
00:51:09,840 --> 00:51:28,760
Because I think it's important that people understand that that's not extra money that we just get from the education lottery, that the state is saying we're going to give you say $100,000 but the lottery comes in and goes but we have $500,000 so they're going to reduce the state by $500,000 and we're still getting the $100,000.

521
00:51:28,980 --> 00:51:30,240
It's not an extra money, correct?

522
00:51:30,240 --> 00:51:42,060
So for construction projects, it would be the initially the state lottery project was supposed to help fund operational costs as well and it was supposed to help teacher costs.

523
00:51:42,760 --> 00:51:54,120
We don't get anything for teachers, we get a little bit for instruction non instructional support which is basically substitutes office staff, but they don't give us extra.

524
00:51:54,580 --> 00:51:58,040
They take money out and allocate it somewhere else and backfill it with.

525
00:51:58,040 --> 00:52:27,820
Yes, so we're getting the same that we were originally getting yeah, they're just the state is reducing how much they're giving us because the lottery is coming in to make up that gap yes, yeah, I think that's called a bait and switch. I think that's what it's called that's what that is and I don't think I don't think many people understand that that it was a political game to say the lottery funds are going to schools there are lottery funds and then they found ways to take money away from schools. Yes, it's very similar to we're sitting cutting the state income tax

526
00:52:27,820 --> 00:52:31,920
I'm going to give that expense to the local government to take care of.

527
00:52:32,260 --> 00:52:35,480
You're not saving money, but it looks good on one end.

528
00:52:36,000 --> 00:52:37,740
But then the local is left to pay for it.

529
00:52:40,660 --> 00:52:46,240
How badly is the diesel price increase going to affect our budget?

530
00:52:47,020 --> 00:52:48,600
Mr. Mullins, are you able to answer that?

531
00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:54,140
I was just talking to a trucking contractor today

532
00:52:54,140 --> 00:52:59,860
And he runs seven big, seven rigs, $15,000 a week.

533
00:53:00,340 --> 00:53:06,720
So it's going to, it's going to hit our transportation state funds very hard.

534
00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:12,500
Sometimes they give us some extra funding when the prices get bad,

535
00:53:12,500 --> 00:53:17,000
but it's never a guarantee that they have it in their kitty to give to us.

536
00:53:19,320 --> 00:53:19,800
Mr. Banks.

537
00:53:21,160 --> 00:53:23,300
Just thank you for your work you do.

538
00:53:23,300 --> 00:53:38,840
You probably don't need to answer this question. Maybe you do. The percentage that the state fund has and our local fund, do you know how we look compared to other districts as far as how much percentage-wise say Camden County's providing versus state?

539
00:53:39,300 --> 00:53:43,000
I do not. I would have to go look up those numbers. Would you like me to do that?

540
00:53:43,380 --> 00:53:51,380
No, I can look. I can look at those. Are you interested? Are you interested based on our region?

541
00:53:51,380 --> 00:53:51,820
or?

542
00:53:52,280 --> 00:53:54,320
Yeah, I would say at least our surrounding areas.

543
00:53:54,460 --> 00:53:54,580
Okay.

544
00:53:55,660 --> 00:54:02,660
I'd like to see there how much their state is paying locally to see how we compare to other

545
00:54:02,660 --> 00:54:06,960
It would probably be a good idea to kick federal in there too, because some of them get

546
00:54:06,960 --> 00:54:09,460
a whole lot more federal dollars than we get here kind of.

547
00:54:10,360 --> 00:54:15,000
So we, I mean the local purple expenditure is the big one that we could just compare apples

548
00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:15,520
to apples.

549
00:54:15,760 --> 00:54:17,780
We know that day or nearly doubles ours.

550
00:54:17,780 --> 00:54:21,500
But the federal funds is where the pinch really is.

551
00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:23,100
We don't get a lot of fed money.

552
00:54:24,100 --> 00:54:26,780
Do you got anything else Jason, that's a great question.

553
00:54:27,180 --> 00:54:31,280
The only thing that I like to add about the lottery is not the North Carolina Educational

554
00:54:31,280 --> 00:54:31,720
Lottery.

555
00:54:31,940 --> 00:54:33,760
That was a lie to the public.

556
00:54:34,820 --> 00:54:41,720
The education system gets less than what we're at 15%, 15% of the lottery funds actually

557
00:54:41,720 --> 00:54:42,540
go to education.

558
00:54:43,440 --> 00:54:47,280
The rest of it, I don't know, how far are state arbiters on it?

559
00:54:47,280 --> 00:54:55,140
so he is. Yeah, he is on it. So we'll see where he is brutal. I'm kind of glad he is, but

560
00:54:55,140 --> 00:55:00,520
that when you only got 15% of that going to education and they're still calling it North

561
00:55:00,520 --> 00:55:06,380
County Educational Lottery. That's just a that's just a that's just a lie to the people. So that's it.

562
00:55:07,260 --> 00:55:13,380
Again, thank you. This was incredible. Thank you for that work. So if you get us local poor people

563
00:55:13,380 --> 00:55:22,400
Federal expenditure, some state funds, and then I think the big kicker for the public is the federal money.

564
00:55:22,840 --> 00:55:28,900
That's why we're so dependent on a local dollar because we don't get the federal dollar that other places get.

565
00:55:29,420 --> 00:55:35,380
A continued shout out to Miss Miller who is doing continued work to get Medicaid dollars.

566
00:55:35,920 --> 00:55:37,720
I don't know how to stress that to the public.

567
00:55:37,720 --> 00:55:49,280
Like as a special ed director, there are many directors who do not do Medicaid billable service because of how time consuming that is and they're make it incredibly difficult to do right now.

568
00:55:49,380 --> 00:55:57,020
She does that to get us every Medicaid dollar we can possibly get because she knows how tight our special ed budget is.

569
00:55:57,280 --> 00:56:00,200
So thank you Miss Miller for going above and beyond.

570
00:56:00,660 --> 00:56:01,860
Thank you, this was great.

571
00:56:01,860 --> 00:56:07,420
So yes, would you elaborate when you just said is there making it difficult?

572
00:56:07,700 --> 00:56:10,000
I'd like you to tell the board what's going on in Medicaid.

573
00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:14,560
Oh, I might have to get Miss Miller to come up here and help with some of that, but they've just.

574
00:56:15,620 --> 00:56:23,040
You don't have to do that, but it's, they've made it, the government, federal government has made it very

575
00:56:23,040 --> 00:56:28,060
cumbersome. They're putting in, we're doing the work and we're getting rejected or constantly.

576
00:56:28,060 --> 00:56:34,320
it's just spitting back out and Miss Miller has stretched the dollars so far and that's how we've

577
00:56:34,320 --> 00:56:40,800
been able to have great services for our kids. And once again, it's a program issue. We didn't

578
00:56:40,800 --> 00:56:45,080
change what we did. We're still falling the rules and yet we're not being able to tap into the

579
00:56:45,080 --> 00:56:49,260
dollars. So we're working through it, but it's very frustrating, very much on our radar.

580
00:56:49,260 --> 00:56:56,660
So, I know we always talk about reaching out to our state legislatures, legislators.

581
00:56:57,860 --> 00:57:05,900
Maybe we can reach out to the federal representatives first, yeah, to talk about some of these issues.

582
00:57:09,570 --> 00:57:09,970
That's great.

583
00:57:10,410 --> 00:57:16,830
Well, with all that wonderful news, we need a motion to adopt our budget.

584
00:57:17,650 --> 00:57:18,330
Second.

585
00:57:18,590 --> 00:57:18,930
Second.

586
00:57:19,270 --> 00:57:19,870
All in favor.

587
00:57:20,210 --> 00:57:21,210
Thank you.

588
00:57:21,890 --> 00:57:24,190
We are going to go on to good news.

589
00:57:24,710 --> 00:57:25,670
Accountability results.

590
00:57:26,590 --> 00:57:28,330
Thank you, Ms. Christie Hodges,

591
00:57:28,510 --> 00:57:30,270
the Director of Curriculum and Instruction,

592
00:57:30,550 --> 00:57:32,170
has a presentation for us tonight.

593
00:57:47,730 --> 00:57:49,110
Good evening, board chair, Ms. Parker,

594
00:57:49,390 --> 00:57:50,850
board members and Dr. Leitz.

595
00:57:51,850 --> 00:57:53,850
It's that time of the year when I get to stand

596
00:57:53,850 --> 00:57:56,510
before you to share a testing and accountability results.

597
00:57:57,450 --> 00:58:00,210
It's my goal this evening to use the data

598
00:58:00,210 --> 00:58:01,610
to tell us three things.

599
00:58:02,470 --> 00:58:03,510
Where our students are.

600
00:58:04,230 --> 00:58:10,130
where we're making progress and where the data is telling us that we still have work to do.

601
00:58:13,020 --> 00:58:17,460
Over the course of the next several slides, I will outline key components of testing and

602
00:58:17,460 --> 00:58:21,560
accountability language that frames the state's expectations for districts.

603
00:58:24,960 --> 00:58:25,940
This chart provides

604
00:58:25,940 --> 00:58:32,420
an overview by grade level of North Carolina's state mandated assessments for grades 3 through 12

605
00:58:32,420 --> 00:58:36,220
of an English language arts, math, science, and other

606
00:58:36,220 --> 00:58:38,820
for elementary, middle, and high school students.

607
00:58:39,460 --> 00:58:42,060
It's important to note that all assessments here

608
00:58:42,900 --> 00:58:45,360
play a role in the state's accountability model.

609
00:58:45,780 --> 00:58:48,440
You'll note this chart speaks to both achievement score

610
00:58:48,440 --> 00:58:51,560
indicators, which represent 80% of the schools

611
00:58:51,560 --> 00:58:55,700
overall score and school growth score indicators

612
00:58:55,700 --> 00:58:57,640
representing 20%.

613
00:58:58,760 --> 00:59:01,760
This formula is used to determine overall student

614
00:59:01,760 --> 00:59:05,380
and proficiency, student growth, school grades,

615
00:59:05,660 --> 00:59:07,580
and whether or not schools exceeded growth,

616
00:59:08,320 --> 00:59:12,960
met growth, or did not exceed growth, or did not meet growth.

617
00:59:15,060 --> 00:59:17,580
North Carolina student performance on assessments

618
00:59:17,580 --> 00:59:20,820
in grades three through eight reading, math, science,

619
00:59:21,300 --> 00:59:25,360
high school biology, English two, math one, and math three

620
00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:29,100
are measured and reported as four academic achievement levels.

621
00:59:29,100 --> 00:59:36,080
Not proficient identify students who demonstrate inconsistent understanding of grade level standards.

622
00:59:37,480 --> 00:59:46,320
Level 3 students are considered proficient at grade level, which you'll see noted with the acronym GLP for grade level proficiency.

623
00:59:47,000 --> 00:59:52,460
At this achievement level, students have demonstrated sufficient understanding of grade level knowledge and skills.

624
00:59:53,680 --> 00:59:58,300
Level 4 students demonstrate a thorough understanding of the content.

625
00:59:58,300 --> 00:59:59,920
As soon as at this level,

626
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:08,320
Local are identified as Career and College Readiness, noted with the acronym CCR. And Level 5 students

627
01:00:08,320 --> 01:00:14,160
demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the content. This level also indicates Career

628
01:00:14,160 --> 01:00:18,380
and College Readiness, and also noted with the acronym CCR.

629
01:00:20,750 --> 01:00:22,050
In addition to the achievement

630
01:00:22,050 --> 01:00:28,490
levels, the state also holds districts accountable in the areas of academic growth, subgroups,

631
01:00:28,490 --> 01:00:29,790
and participation.

632
01:00:30,870 --> 01:00:35,370
Academic growth reflects the progress students make in a year, in a school,

633
01:00:35,770 --> 01:00:37,070
over the course of a year,

634
01:00:37,510 --> 01:00:44,170
with a standard set at what roughly one year's expected growth for one year of instruction.

635
01:00:44,990 --> 01:00:48,010
In North Carolina, growth is measured using EVAS,

636
01:00:48,350 --> 01:00:53,030
a statistical tool that analyses results from common assessment.

637
01:00:54,150 --> 01:00:56,390
Each school receives one of three ratings,

638
01:00:56,390 --> 01:01:02,850
Exceeded growth expectations, met growth expectations, or did not meet growth expectations.

639
01:01:04,860 --> 01:01:12,180
Subgroup performance, such as military-connected students, English learners, homeless students,

640
01:01:13,020 --> 01:01:19,640
with disabilities, and all students, is reported when there are at least 30 students scores within

641
01:01:19,640 --> 01:01:25,500
a particular group for one or more parts of the accountability model. In regards to participation

642
01:01:25,500 --> 01:01:32,320
and testing, schools are required to test at least 95% of eligible students to ensure

643
01:01:32,320 --> 01:01:35,020
all students are included in accountability measures.

644
01:01:35,720 --> 01:01:39,140
This requirement applies to groups of 30 or more students.

645
01:01:41,910 --> 01:01:50,510
Since 2013-2014, North Carolina has assigned letter grades, A through F to public schools.

646
01:01:50,870 --> 01:01:56,070
These grades are based on that 80-20 model where student achievement represents 80% of the

647
01:01:56,070 --> 01:02:00,210
overall score and academic growth is represented by 20%.

648
01:02:00,720 --> 01:02:06,370
The combined score is placed on a 100-point scale and converted to the scale you see here

649
01:02:06,370 --> 01:02:09,750
to determine each school's final performance grade.

650
01:02:12,410 --> 01:02:16,750
So with that background information in place, let's take a look at what the accountability

651
01:02:16,750 --> 01:02:19,730
results are telling us about Currytook County Schools.

652
01:02:22,600 --> 01:02:27,580
This is our district level snapshot and I want to begin with the overall picture.

653
01:02:28,220 --> 01:02:35,540
We have one school with an A, two schools with B's and seven schools with C's.

654
01:02:35,880 --> 01:02:39,720
We do not have any schools performing at the D or F range.

655
01:02:40,800 --> 01:02:45,320
But I don't want us to stop here because the letter grades don't tell us everything we need to know.

656
01:02:46,600 --> 01:02:50,860
The second part of this slide is equally important, the growth status.

657
01:02:51,660 --> 01:02:56,780
JP NAP Early College exceeded growth expectations while central elementary,

658
01:02:57,660 --> 01:03:02,980
non-silent elementary, Moyac Elementary, and Moyac Middle School Met Growth.

659
01:03:03,580 --> 01:03:08,520
Five of our schools based on the state's accountability model did not meet growth.

660
01:03:09,720 --> 01:03:12,920
Courier to county high school, Courier to county middle school,

661
01:03:13,540 --> 01:03:17,900
Jarvisburg Elementary, Sherbro Elementary, and WT Griggs Elementary.

662
01:03:19,800 --> 01:03:27,740
and this is where I want to pause because I think it's an important part of the story and it's not necessarily the most comfortable part of the story.

663
01:03:28,860 --> 01:03:36,280
Five of our 10 schools met or exceeded growth this year and that means that half of our schools did not meet their expected growth.

664
01:03:37,260 --> 01:03:44,460
And that is something that we need to acknowledge and I'm not going to explain that away and I don't think we should but at the same time,

665
01:03:44,460 --> 01:03:47,640
There is something interesting happening in these results.

666
01:03:48,140 --> 01:03:55,120
Several schools that increased their proficiency scores also saw their growth index decline

667
01:03:55,590 --> 01:03:58,260
under the state's current testing model.

668
01:03:59,240 --> 01:04:04,780
So we're seeing situations where students are performing at higher levels of proficiency,

669
01:04:05,340 --> 01:04:10,300
but the growth calculation isn't reflecting that progress in the way that we might expect.

670
01:04:11,380 --> 01:04:13,500
And that doesn't mean that growth isn't important.

671
01:04:13,500 --> 01:04:19,860
It absolutely is, it just means that we need to understand what each measure is actually

672
01:04:19,860 --> 01:04:24,420
telling us before we draw conclusions about whether a school is improving.

673
01:04:27,310 --> 01:04:31,390
Without accountability context established, I want to spend the remainder of our time looking

674
01:04:31,390 --> 01:04:36,810
more closely at student performance, particularly proficiency over time.

675
01:04:37,890 --> 01:04:41,870
And I think this is where we began to see a much more complete picture of the work happening

676
01:04:41,870 --> 01:04:42,870
across our district.

677
01:04:44,190 --> 01:04:50,430
I'm going to start with one of our most important outcomes, whether students are graduating from high school.

678
01:04:52,770 --> 01:04:58,670
This year, our four-year cohort graduation rate is reported as greater than 95%.

679
01:04:58,670 --> 01:05:02,990
That's an increase from 93.5% last year.

680
01:05:03,570 --> 01:05:08,530
And over the past five years, we've increased our graduation rate by nearly five percentage points.

681
01:05:08,530 --> 01:05:14,270
I think it's worth noting because graduation isn't the result of something that

682
01:05:14,270 --> 01:05:19,710
happens in a student's senior year. It reflects years of work keeping students

683
01:05:19,710 --> 01:05:21,290
on track to earn a diploma.

684
01:05:24,100 --> 01:05:27,220
Courier Tech County Schools ranks in the top in the

685
01:05:27,220 --> 01:05:32,820
state in our four-year cohort graduation rate percent. What I appreciate about

686
01:05:32,820 --> 01:05:37,620
this data is that it again isn't a one-year story. We're seeing a sustained

687
01:05:37,620 --> 01:05:43,740
The main graduation rate above 90% with the most recent cohort exceeding 95%.

688
01:05:45,120 --> 01:05:55,840
Courier Tech County High School increased from 92.8 to 93.8% this year, and over the last five years has increased 6 percentage points.

689
01:05:56,920 --> 01:06:04,160
JP NAP has returned to and maintained a graduation rate above 95% over the last two years.

690
01:06:04,160 --> 01:06:07,340
We continue to be very proud of this achievement.

691
01:06:09,020 --> 01:06:13,400
The next several slides I will speak to our year over year data.

692
01:06:14,320 --> 01:06:19,780
This is where I want to spend some time because I think this five-year trend tells us

693
01:06:19,780 --> 01:06:22,380
much more than a single year's score.

694
01:06:24,470 --> 01:06:32,110
Across all subjects, our grade level proficiency has increased from 55.2 percent five years

695
01:06:32,110 --> 01:06:40,510
ago to 65.7 percent this year. That's a 10.5 percentage point increase over 5 years.

696
01:06:41,730 --> 01:06:45,730
And I think it's important to put that number in perspective. When we're talking about

697
01:06:45,730 --> 01:06:51,730
district level results, moving a percentage like this represents a substantial number

698
01:06:51,730 --> 01:06:56,810
of additional students reaching proficiency. So it's not a small shift in the data.

699
01:06:58,130 --> 01:07:02,750
And perhaps more importantly, this isn't being driven by one particular grade.

700
01:07:03,330 --> 01:07:09,630
Eight of our nine cohorts have increased their proficiency score since 2021-2022.

701
01:07:10,310 --> 01:07:15,250
So when I look at this slide, the story I see is not simply that we had a good year.

702
01:07:15,810 --> 01:07:18,350
The story is sustained improvement.

703
01:07:20,430 --> 01:07:30,350
Across grades 3 through 8, reading proficiency went from 49.6% to 59.4% over 5 years, a 9.8

704
01:07:30,350 --> 01:07:35,590
proficiency point increase. But again, I don't want to simply look at the overall number.

705
01:07:35,870 --> 01:07:43,330
The grade level trend tells us something important. Grade 3 has increased more than 15 percentage points over 5 years.

706
01:07:44,110 --> 01:07:50,210
Grade 5 is up nearly 14 percentage points and grade 6 is up more than 12 percentage points.

707
01:07:50,730 --> 01:07:53,970
And we're seeing gains across every grade over that five-year period.

708
01:07:54,890 --> 01:08:02,050
We do have some year-to-year fluctuation, grade 4 and grade 7, for example, decline this

709
01:08:02,050 --> 01:08:02,330
year.

710
01:08:03,170 --> 01:08:07,710
But when you look step back and look at the five years rather than one year, the direction

711
01:08:07,710 --> 01:08:08,830
is positive.

712
01:08:08,830 --> 01:08:14,790
And we see an even more significant increase when we look specifically at English 2.

713
01:08:15,750 --> 01:08:21,310
Five years ago, 55.2% of our students demonstrated grade level proficiency.

714
01:08:21,950 --> 01:08:27,310
And this year that number is 74.2%, a 19 percentage point increase.

715
01:08:30,120 --> 01:08:38,700
Across grades 3 through a math proficiency has increased from 56% five years ago to 64.6%

716
01:08:38,700 --> 01:08:39,260
this year.

717
01:08:39,260 --> 01:08:42,520
And that's an 8.6 percentage point increase.

718
01:08:43,460 --> 01:08:45,620
So the long-term trend is positive.

719
01:08:46,400 --> 01:08:56,120
Grade 3 math went from 61.9% to 77.1%, over the 5-year period, jumping 15.2 percentage

720
01:08:56,120 --> 01:08:56,560
points.

721
01:08:57,180 --> 01:09:06,360
And 8th grade math saw a 25.3 percentage point jump in proficiency from 21.22.

722
01:09:07,480 --> 01:09:10,800
There are some grade level results that require our attention.

723
01:09:11,400 --> 01:09:14,860
Begin grade seven is the clearest example.

724
01:09:15,740 --> 01:09:18,560
Its proficiency rate has declined over the five-year period,

725
01:09:18,560 --> 01:09:22,140
and this year's result is 51.5 percent proficient.

726
01:09:24,310 --> 01:09:28,410
At the high school level, the math story is particularly encouraging.

727
01:09:29,510 --> 01:09:34,130
Math 1 proficiency has increased more than 16 percentage points over five years,

728
01:09:34,130 --> 01:09:46,870
from 37.3% to 53.4% and math 3, it's increased from 61.1% to 87.5% again of

729
01:09:46,870 --> 01:09:52,410
more than 26 percentage points. So while we have some areas of math that required

730
01:09:52,410 --> 01:09:56,830
attention, we also have evidence of significant improvement in our high school

731
01:09:56,830 --> 01:10:04,030
mouth outcomes. In our previous slides, we were focused on grade level proficiency,

732
01:10:04,450 --> 01:10:09,650
students who scored a level three. I want to spend these next few slides and take

733
01:10:09,650 --> 01:10:15,530
you one step further and look at our career and college readiness. These are

734
01:10:15,530 --> 01:10:20,850
students performing at levels four and five and so we're no longer asking our

735
01:10:20,850 --> 01:10:24,610
students meeting grade level expectations. We're asking how many students are

736
01:10:24,610 --> 01:10:29,190
demonstrating the deeper level of performance associated with career and college readiness.

737
01:10:31,270 --> 01:10:40,070
Across all subjects, that number has increased from 36% to 42.1% over five years,

738
01:10:40,070 --> 01:10:47,710
a 6.1 increase. This is exciting. We want more students to demonstrate the depth of knowledge

739
01:10:47,710 --> 01:10:50,930
and skills represented by these higher achievement levels.

740
01:10:51,910 --> 01:10:56,530
Reading shows a similar long-term trend, although the gains are more modest than what

741
01:10:56,530 --> 01:10:59,110
we saw with the grade level proficiency scores.

742
01:10:59,970 --> 01:11:08,250
Grades 3 through 8 have moved from 29.4% to 34.8% over 5 years, a 5.4% percentage point

743
01:11:08,250 --> 01:11:08,790
in grace.

744
01:11:10,210 --> 01:11:12,950
And again, the grade level data is important.

745
01:11:13,450 --> 01:11:18,390
Grade 3 has increased nearly 6 percentage points, grade 5 more than 10 percentage points,

746
01:11:18,390 --> 01:11:22,030
and grade 8 nearly 7 percentage points over five years.

747
01:11:22,870 --> 01:11:24,910
We also have some year-to-year declines.

748
01:11:25,330 --> 01:11:27,250
Grade four, for example, is down this year.

749
01:11:27,910 --> 01:11:30,490
And this is an area where we want to continue moving students

750
01:11:30,490 --> 01:11:34,850
beyond basic proficiency and toward deeper performance.

751
01:11:36,490 --> 01:11:39,490
This is another result that I think deserves our attention.

752
01:11:39,890 --> 01:11:40,530
English, too.

753
01:11:41,270 --> 01:11:44,870
Career and college ready has increased from 33.9%

754
01:11:44,870 --> 01:11:51,810
five years ago to 49% this year, a 15.1% increase.

755
01:11:52,290 --> 01:11:57,270
So nearly half of our English two students are now performing at levels four and five.

756
01:11:58,620 --> 01:12:03,510
When you put this alongside the 19 percentage point increase, we saw an English two,

757
01:12:03,870 --> 01:12:08,070
grade level proficiency. We're now seeing improvement not only in the number of students

758
01:12:08,070 --> 01:12:13,990
reaching proficiency, but also in the number reaching the higher performance levels.

759
01:12:15,370 --> 01:12:27,230
Math career in college ready has increased from 35.9% to 42.8% across grades 3 through 8 over 5 years, a 6.9 percentage point increase.

760
01:12:28,850 --> 01:12:42,170
Just as we saw with grade level proficiency, the grade level results aren't uniform. Grade 8 has increased more than 23 percentage points over 5 years, while grade 7 has declined 6.6 percentage points.

761
01:12:42,170 --> 01:12:46,870
So we're seeing some very strong growth in higher-level math performance in certain grades

762
01:12:46,870 --> 01:12:49,950
while other grades clearly need additional attention.

763
01:12:51,550 --> 01:12:56,290
And the high school math career and college ready results reinforce what we saw in proficiency.

764
01:12:57,530 --> 01:13:05,870
Math 3 career and college ready has increased from 36.4% to 63.3% over five years, again

765
01:13:05,870 --> 01:13:08,270
of nearly 27 percentage points.

766
01:13:08,830 --> 01:13:09,850
That's significant.

767
01:13:10,630 --> 01:13:16,770
So when we talk about improvement, we're not simply talking about more students crossing the proficiency threshold.

768
01:13:17,470 --> 01:13:23,670
In this case, we're seeing a substantial increase in students demonstrating the higher level of performance as well.

769
01:13:26,540 --> 01:13:31,100
The district level trends give us a picture of the progress our students have made.

770
01:13:31,620 --> 01:13:39,040
What I'd like to do is spend the next few slides to help us understand that performance in a larger context

771
01:13:39,040 --> 01:13:43,740
by looking at where we stand among districts across our state.

772
01:13:46,350 --> 01:13:49,130
When we compare our grade level proficiency results

773
01:13:49,550 --> 01:13:52,690
with the other 114 districts in North Carolina,

774
01:13:53,270 --> 01:13:54,950
we see that our students are performing

775
01:13:55,270 --> 01:13:57,450
at a high level relative to the state.

776
01:13:58,230 --> 01:14:02,030
Two of our nine cohorts, grade three and grade eight,

777
01:14:02,330 --> 01:14:03,950
rank in the top 10 statewide,

778
01:14:04,470 --> 01:14:07,290
and six of nine cohorts rank in the top 15.

779
01:14:09,930 --> 01:14:11,690
What's particularly encouraging

780
01:14:11,690 --> 01:14:15,890
is that our statewide standing isn't limited to students meeting grade level expectations.

781
01:14:16,670 --> 01:14:21,170
We're also seeing a strong positioning when we look at the percentage of students performing

782
01:14:21,590 --> 01:14:25,090
at the higher levels, three of four and five.

783
01:14:25,830 --> 01:14:32,670
Grade eight is our strongest example, ranking fourth in the state in career and college ready performance.

784
01:14:33,330 --> 01:14:38,470
Grade three ranks 13th and our grade nine 12 cohort ranks 12th.

785
01:14:39,210 --> 01:14:44,450
And when we step back from the individual rankings, the broader picture is also encouraging.

786
01:14:45,170 --> 01:14:51,210
Seven of our nine cohorts are in the top 25 statewide for career and college ready performance.

787
01:14:53,750 --> 01:14:57,490
We've looked at how our students are performing compared to the state.

788
01:14:58,130 --> 01:14:59,970
Now I want to take one step...

789
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:06,960
Closer and look at how Curry Tech compares to other districts in our region. This gives us

790
01:15:06,960 --> 01:15:11,420
another lens for understanding our performance relative to other district serving students

791
01:15:11,740 --> 01:15:12,620
in our region.

792
01:15:14,930 --> 01:15:19,650
Across the northeast region, Curry Tech ranks second out of 19 districts

793
01:15:19,650 --> 01:15:27,510
and overall all subject grade level proficiency performance. Our proficiency rate is 65.7%.

794
01:15:28,350 --> 01:15:33,270
When we narrow the comparison to grades 3 through 8, we remain second in the region

795
01:15:33,270 --> 01:15:38,230
and grade level proficiency as 64.4 percent proficient.

796
01:15:40,610 --> 01:15:46,150
Grade 3 ranks third regionally as 69.9 percent proficiency.

797
01:15:46,530 --> 01:15:50,990
This is particularly encouraging when we connect it back to the five-year trend that we saw

798
01:15:50,990 --> 01:15:51,530
earlier.

799
01:15:52,050 --> 01:15:56,470
Grade 3 reading and math have both made substantial gains over that period.

800
01:15:58,050 --> 01:16:06,250
Grade 4 ranks 4th regionally at 60.9%, and this is also a good example of why we need

801
01:16:06,250 --> 01:16:08,290
to look at more than one data point.

802
01:16:09,470 --> 01:16:14,850
Grade 4's current performance is strong relative to the region even though we've seen

803
01:16:14,850 --> 01:16:15,990
a year-to-year decline.

804
01:16:17,310 --> 01:16:22,010
Grade 5, which is represented by three state assessments.

805
01:16:22,010 --> 01:16:26,910
Readiness, reading, math, and science is our highest regional ranking.

806
01:16:27,370 --> 01:16:33,510
We are first out of 19 districts at 67.6 percent proficiency.

807
01:16:34,830 --> 01:16:39,410
What's interesting here is that this isn't simply a high-performing cohort.

808
01:16:40,150 --> 01:16:44,490
Grade 5 reading has increased more than 12 percentage points over five years, while math

809
01:16:44,490 --> 01:16:46,830
has increased more than eight points.

810
01:16:48,010 --> 01:16:55,190
Grade 6 ranks 3rd regionally at 61.7%, and this is another grade where we've seen meaningful

811
01:16:55,190 --> 01:17:02,150
five-year improvement in both reading and math. Grade 7 gives us an important counterpoint

812
01:17:02,150 --> 01:17:10,870
to some of the stronger rankings we've just seen. We rank 6th regionally at 53.3%, that's

813
01:17:10,870 --> 01:17:15,870
certainly respectable related relative to the region, but it's also one of the areas where

814
01:17:15,870 --> 01:17:19,250
a trend tells us we have work to do, particularly in that.

815
01:17:20,890 --> 01:17:26,930
Grade 8 is another particularly strong result, third in the region at 69.5%.

816
01:17:26,930 --> 01:17:29,570
And this aligns with what we saw earlier.

817
01:17:30,010 --> 01:17:36,130
Grade 8 has made one of our strongest five-year gains in mathematics and is among our strongest

818
01:17:36,130 --> 01:17:38,430
performing cohorts overall.

819
01:17:39,170 --> 01:17:42,990
And finally, when we look at grades 9 through 12,

820
01:17:43,210 --> 01:17:47,050
Currytook ranks 3rd regionally at 71% proficient.

821
01:17:47,950 --> 01:17:50,350
That brings us back to one of the strongest stories

822
01:17:50,350 --> 01:17:51,510
in this presentation.

823
01:17:52,010 --> 01:17:55,110
Our high school results are showing substantial improvement,

824
01:17:55,530 --> 01:17:58,050
particularly in English and Math 3.

825
01:18:01,660 --> 01:18:02,820
The results are clear.

826
01:18:03,640 --> 01:18:05,780
What we are doing is working.

827
01:18:06,720 --> 01:18:10,140
Over the past five years, our proficiency has continued to grow.

828
01:18:10,140 --> 01:18:14,460
So, our next step isn't to change course, is to stay the course.

829
01:18:15,500 --> 01:18:21,620
Continue providing high-quality learning resources, continue ensuring equitable access to

830
01:18:21,620 --> 01:18:28,240
those resources, continue ongoing training and support, and continue to make decisions

831
01:18:28,240 --> 01:18:29,400
that are right for children.

832
01:18:30,460 --> 01:18:32,780
Thank you, and I'm happy to answer questions.

833
01:18:33,540 --> 01:18:34,580
Emily, do you have anything?

834
01:18:34,580 --> 01:18:42,980
Yep. Thank you for that presentation. It was very thorough and informative. I'm just

835
01:18:42,980 --> 01:18:51,980
curious as it seems that the high school 9 through 12, the grades were really good.

836
01:18:52,320 --> 01:18:59,400
So why would, why did they not be growth if the grades are next?

837
01:18:59,400 --> 01:19:04,160
So that's a mystery and I wish I could answer that.

838
01:19:04,420 --> 01:19:04,560
Okay.

839
01:19:05,120 --> 01:19:10,860
I have a plaque in my office that says everything is figure outable except for this.

840
01:19:11,820 --> 01:19:14,840
So you'll probably be reading.

841
01:19:15,420 --> 01:19:24,480
There was WRL came out with an article this week on concerns around the accountability model and how all five

842
01:19:24,480 --> 01:19:32,580
of our schools that increased their proficiency levels did not meet growth and so I wish I could

843
01:19:32,580 --> 01:19:40,600
explain it to you, Miss Crottick. Unfortunately, I am unable to do that. Thank you. Sandy.

844
01:19:41,320 --> 01:19:42,860
Thank you. You're welcome.

845
01:19:45,170 --> 01:19:49,870
Melissa. I feel like most people who have worked in the school system

846
01:19:50,550 --> 01:19:58,750
know that the growth part is just this weird, tricky formula created by the state that makes no sense.

847
01:19:59,670 --> 01:20:04,050
It was something we struggled with at Weeksville that it was so frustrating because you worked so hard

848
01:20:04,050 --> 01:20:07,510
and I know how disheartening it is for the teachers especially.

849
01:20:08,050 --> 01:20:14,450
To have worked hard, seeing their student scores, be proficient, be hitting what they're supposed to be hitting

850
01:20:14,450 --> 01:20:16,470
and then still not meet growth.

851
01:20:16,470 --> 01:20:22,450
And so, I really want to say to all of our staff that we see you and we know that you're doing well.

852
01:20:22,830 --> 01:20:26,110
And please don't let some made up number by the state get you down.

853
01:20:26,370 --> 01:20:29,830
Because to me, it's like in whose line is it anyway.

854
01:20:30,310 --> 01:20:33,550
The numbers are made up and the points don't matter.

855
01:20:33,790 --> 01:20:37,050
That's kind of how growth feels, Mr. Bate.

856
01:20:37,650 --> 01:20:38,430
I don't have anything.

857
01:20:38,590 --> 01:20:42,650
Just thank you for all you're working to and trying to explain it the best way you can to.

858
01:20:43,050 --> 01:20:43,830
Okay, thank you.

859
01:20:44,470 --> 01:20:50,070
Thank you. This was a terrific presentation. And I thank you for highlighting the high school

860
01:20:50,070 --> 01:20:55,770
because they really were disappointed. They thought they were a B. As someone who

861
01:20:55,770 --> 01:21:00,710
pushed through the thousands of pages of data on the state site, I could not understand

862
01:21:00,710 --> 01:21:07,570
how a school that had 50% proficiency was a B in our region. And then we have 87% proficiency

863
01:21:07,570 --> 01:21:14,570
C and WRC. It's a little bit of word soup of what happens. We're going to look at achievement.

864
01:21:14,850 --> 01:21:20,530
Obviously, we understand why the state looks at growth. But for the public, what happens

865
01:21:20,530 --> 01:21:26,830
is when a school is at 10% and it grows to 50, well, they've grown 40 points. We're at 50

866
01:21:26,830 --> 01:21:34,330
and we grow to 87.5, which is to an 87.5% pass rate in math 3 is phenomenal.

867
01:21:37,070 --> 01:21:37,550
And for that

868
01:21:37,550 --> 01:21:41,350
I do think it's important to note that it's the best scores the high school has ever gotten.

869
01:21:42,150 --> 01:21:44,650
And we have a lot of wonderful things.

870
01:21:45,010 --> 01:21:48,530
Thank you for highlighting grade seven because something went on in grade seven.

871
01:21:48,830 --> 01:21:54,230
Then I'm sure y'all will be on because grade eight looks like rock stars and then grade seven.

872
01:21:54,350 --> 01:21:59,510
Although I teach grade seven, that's a tough lot of things could go on with grade seven on any given day.

873
01:22:00,190 --> 01:22:03,830
It's a whole other thing, but just thank you so much.

874
01:22:03,830 --> 01:22:05,350
I think the numbers are great.

875
01:22:06,010 --> 01:22:09,250
The graduation rate, again for parents in the community,

876
01:22:09,250 --> 01:22:12,070
when you see the five people that are number one in the state,

877
01:22:12,290 --> 01:22:15,950
the state doesn't distinguish above a 95% pass rate.

878
01:22:16,330 --> 01:22:19,770
So when you're above 95%, they consider you a rock star

879
01:22:19,770 --> 01:22:23,050
and you get the gold medal and they don't distinguish that.

880
01:22:23,290 --> 01:22:27,210
So for us to jump to that is incredible for us

881
01:22:27,210 --> 01:22:29,650
to be number one in our graduation rate.

882
01:22:29,850 --> 01:22:31,710
So thank you and your team for your work.

883
01:22:32,010 --> 01:22:33,110
Thank you. Thank you.

884
01:22:33,110 --> 01:22:38,230
All right, this time we have a motion to accept the consent agenda.

885
01:22:39,150 --> 01:22:40,970
Do we have a second?

886
01:22:41,510 --> 01:22:42,690
All in favor?

887
01:22:43,130 --> 01:22:44,230
All right.

888
01:22:46,330 --> 01:22:47,470
Informational items.

889
01:22:47,710 --> 01:22:52,030
The next Board of Education meeting is October 15th, 2026.

890
01:22:52,310 --> 01:22:59,370
We will have a 4 p.m. work session at the PLC, and then we always meet here at the historic

891
01:22:59,370 --> 01:23:06,150
current at courthouse if that is says six should that say six thirty six thirty please

892
01:23:06,150 --> 01:23:12,210
don't comment six we won't be here so six thirty one October 15th at this time we have

893
01:23:12,210 --> 01:23:21,690
board member and superintendent comments Emily thank you earlier this month I was able to attend

894
01:23:21,690 --> 01:23:28,450
with Dr. Loots the listening session at not silent elementary school for the tolling of

895
01:23:28,450 --> 01:23:34,290
of the Nuts Island Courier Tuck Ferry, there has been a survey out for that.

896
01:23:34,430 --> 01:23:50,050
I believe that survey has closed, but you can still contact your state legislatures as well as Congressman Don Davis's office.

897
01:23:50,370 --> 01:23:56,270
He did have a representative there, so this is something that does concern him as well.

898
01:23:56,270 --> 01:24:03,790
I just, it will affect county officials and student drivers.

899
01:24:04,550 --> 01:24:13,270
So please contact the representatives and say that you do not want the toll.

900
01:24:14,390 --> 01:24:21,890
Lastly, I would like to Dana shared some good data from the CTE department.

901
01:24:21,890 --> 01:24:25,090
So I just want to read on that for you.

902
01:24:25,670 --> 01:24:42,190
Career Technical Education CTE is the modern evolved term for the traditional vocational education updated to integrate rigorous core academics with hands on technical training for both college and career readiness.

903
01:24:42,190 --> 01:24:50,170
In the 2021 school year, 9% of our CTE students earned a credential.

904
01:24:50,810 --> 01:24:56,910
Last year, we had greater than 95% of our CTE students earning a credential.

905
01:24:57,150 --> 01:24:58,830
So that is a huge increase.

906
01:25:00,010 --> 01:25:05,930
So I want to thank the CTE Department and teachers for

907
01:25:05,930 --> 01:25:08,830
working with their students on that great achievement.

908
01:25:10,330 --> 01:25:20,050
This year, the CTE Department is also increasing offerings to include computer science, natural resources, and child development.

909
01:25:20,470 --> 01:25:20,810
Thank you.

910
01:25:22,130 --> 01:25:22,830
All right, Sandy.

911
01:25:24,430 --> 01:25:30,650
I am going to piggyback a little bit on what Emily was talking about with CTE.

912
01:25:31,090 --> 01:25:34,730
I'm not sure where the narrative came from.

913
01:25:34,730 --> 01:25:47,950
that our school system and our district puts a lot of more energy into college pathway than a career pathway that could not be farther from the truth.

914
01:25:48,810 --> 01:26:01,630
And I think it's important that we highlight what Mr. Edwards has done at the high school and ensuring that students who want to enlist or

915
01:26:01,630 --> 01:26:11,150
employee have a pathway. He has created the student pathways document and I'm going to post it on

916
01:26:11,150 --> 01:26:16,510
Facebook or social media where I'm going to post it everywhere because it's pretty amazing. It

917
01:26:16,510 --> 01:26:22,070
has a curriculum, the expectations, the student experience, community engagement, there are graduation

918
01:26:22,070 --> 01:26:27,530
requirements. It's literally if a student wants to go into interior design, here's the pathway.

919
01:26:30,970 --> 01:26:31,610
If a

920
01:26:31,610 --> 01:26:35,670
Entrepreneurship Marketing, here's the pathway, go in military, here's the pathway.

921
01:26:36,890 --> 01:26:41,590
I just think it's important that the public know that the CTE, that's what it is.

922
01:26:41,750 --> 01:26:47,470
It's career and technical education, and Emily provided a great definition for that.

923
01:26:47,650 --> 01:26:52,590
It's important that the public knows that our parents know, that the students know,

924
01:26:52,970 --> 01:26:57,730
that there are three pathways. Enroll, enlist, and employ.

925
01:26:58,410 --> 01:27:13,950
and for those that don't know, there is a signing at the end of the school year for students who choose to go into the military, for students who choose to go into their career, just like there's a signing when they sign for college, what college they're going to.

926
01:27:14,490 --> 01:27:24,870
So I'm just really frustrated that that narrative continues to be put out there that we do not have a great CTE program or one at all when we do.

927
01:27:24,870 --> 01:27:30,770
So general trades, nursing, fire, EMT, business IT, entrepreneurship marketing, culinary

928
01:27:30,770 --> 01:27:36,810
arts, military, interior design, machining and welding, and the three extra new ones

929
01:27:36,810 --> 01:27:37,950
that Emily had mentioned.

930
01:27:38,250 --> 01:27:40,570
So that's what I have to say.

931
01:27:41,430 --> 01:27:41,950
Thank you.

932
01:27:42,770 --> 01:27:43,330
All right, Melissa.

933
01:27:45,090 --> 01:27:51,350
I am seeing schools starting to really promote all of their activities for the next few

934
01:27:51,350 --> 01:27:51,670
months.

935
01:27:51,670 --> 01:27:57,650
And I want to encourage everyone in the district, not necessarily just parents to support

936
01:27:57,650 --> 01:27:59,070
the schools and these events.

937
01:27:59,630 --> 01:28:03,690
Even things like trunk or treat, it seems silly and fun.

938
01:28:04,170 --> 01:28:09,150
It is so important for building community, and if you have it available that you could

939
01:28:09,150 --> 01:28:17,010
donate candy to them or a trunk to set up, being part of community means that we all do

940
01:28:17,010 --> 01:28:17,570
this together.

941
01:28:17,570 --> 01:28:22,670
that it's not just parents, it's not just teachers, that it's all of us supporting the schools together.

942
01:28:23,110 --> 01:28:27,470
So I really want to encourage everyone to participate in the events that are closest to you.

943
01:28:27,570 --> 01:28:32,190
I guarantee your school is doing something in the next month or two that they would love to have you support.

944
01:28:33,850 --> 01:28:34,710
All right, Mr. Bain.

945
01:28:36,830 --> 01:28:40,470
Just to start off with, I guess you're still here.

946
01:28:40,790 --> 01:28:44,430
Thank you for coming tonight and telling us about your transportation issues.

947
01:28:45,570 --> 01:28:50,890
It's concerning me because it is a safety issue, and I just thank you for bringing that

948
01:28:50,890 --> 01:28:53,390
to us and hopefully we'll be able to get you some answers.

949
01:28:54,690 --> 01:28:58,290
That being said, transportation has always been an issue for the county.

950
01:28:58,850 --> 01:29:02,190
It's a very difficult county to provide transportation for.

951
01:29:02,690 --> 01:29:03,390
I've said it before.

952
01:29:03,630 --> 01:29:08,850
If you drove from North Island to Corova, you can drive through Greenville about the same amount

953
01:29:08,850 --> 01:29:09,110
of time.

954
01:29:09,250 --> 01:29:10,270
It takes you to drive this county.

955
01:29:11,870 --> 01:29:14,590
But I'm glad Ms. Parker brought up about the high school.

956
01:29:14,910 --> 01:29:19,490
The high school is actually to me, is actually starting to, I guess, right word, feel like

957
01:29:19,490 --> 01:29:20,010
a high school.

958
01:29:20,770 --> 01:29:26,150
There's some issues that are being addressed, but they're doing a great job out there and

959
01:29:26,150 --> 01:29:31,150
hats off Ms. Edwards, because I don't think it's showing, our data is showing exactly what's

960
01:29:31,150 --> 01:29:31,890
happening out there.

961
01:29:32,770 --> 01:29:39,150
The staff has increased, he's hiring folks, so I'm happy with where we're going to

962
01:29:39,150 --> 01:29:44,990
the high school. With that being said, I spent right much time at the high school. And

963
01:29:44,990 --> 01:29:50,910
I have to give a shout out to, I think it's Miss Austin and Miss Pore at the high school

964
01:29:50,910 --> 01:29:58,290
that worked front desk. It is impressive that they know everything that is going on in

965
01:29:58,290 --> 01:29:58,830
that building.

966
01:29:59,190 --> 01:29:59,970
May not be-

967
01:30:00,900 --> 01:30:29,620
I want to write a right word. I hope I'm not insulting them. The friendliest, maybe, but for a student to walk into the office and say, where am I supposed to be? And they just right off top of their heads, where they're supposed to be? What time they got to be there? What time they're going to leave? It's impressive. And when I got there and asked her question, I just got to say I'm sorry, Mr. Edwards, but I was asking Mr. Edwards some questions. He picked up the phone.

968
01:30:29,620 --> 01:30:34,340
he called Ms. Pore. Ask her to question. Then he give me an answer. Turn around and ask

969
01:30:34,340 --> 01:30:39,120
another question. He picked up the phone. Guess who he called? Call Ms. Pore. Ask her to question

970
01:30:39,120 --> 01:30:47,240
and got the answer. So, my hat's off to all our staff that worked in front offices. You're

971
01:30:47,240 --> 01:30:49,960
impressive. That's all I got to say. So, thank you.

972
01:30:50,500 --> 01:30:51,580
All right, Dr. Lutz.

973
01:30:53,840 --> 01:30:56,660
I've said a lot about the high school and everything should be said.

974
01:30:56,660 --> 01:31:00,040
But they did not get what they rightfully deserved.

975
01:31:01,600 --> 01:31:06,620
I'm going to point out a couple of other buildings in particular too and that is Griggs and

976
01:31:06,620 --> 01:31:07,460
Jarvis Burke.

977
01:31:07,700 --> 01:31:10,600
We're both did not get what they deserved.

978
01:31:10,960 --> 01:31:15,860
Jarvis Burke held on to a B with the best scores they have ever had in the history of their

979
01:31:15,860 --> 01:31:16,180
school.

980
01:31:16,540 --> 01:31:22,280
A 74% pass rate, three grades three through five in math as a title school.

981
01:31:22,280 --> 01:31:27,860
one of two percent in the state that there are B, yet they didn't meet growth in math.

982
01:31:28,680 --> 01:31:34,920
Nor did Griggs meet growth. They had the worst math growth in the state, yet their fourth grade

983
01:31:34,920 --> 01:31:42,860
math teacher had a 78 percent pass rate on a test that's normed to only pass at 70 percent. Anything

984
01:31:42,860 --> 01:31:50,200
over 70 percent in the state of North Carolina is good. And it's been mentioned, all of our schools

985
01:31:50,200 --> 01:31:54,140
that increase their scores, including NAP went down in growth.

986
01:31:54,880 --> 01:31:58,960
NAP lost two points in growth, despite having the highest proficiency rate,

987
01:31:59,260 --> 01:32:03,060
proficiency scores in the history of their school, greater than 95%.

988
01:32:03,500 --> 01:32:07,560
I have been in contact with state legislatures,

989
01:32:07,760 --> 01:32:12,300
age and state school board members, and it's not fair to our teachers,

990
01:32:12,520 --> 01:32:16,520
it's not fair to our kids, it's not fair to our principals put in the great work.

991
01:32:16,520 --> 01:32:21,080
and it's important that we get something adjusted.

992
01:32:21,320 --> 01:32:22,740
I thought Chris needed a great job

993
01:32:22,740 --> 01:32:25,160
of talking about it's unfigurable.

994
01:32:27,460 --> 01:32:29,540
Thank you, Kelly and Matt, Susan,

995
01:32:30,040 --> 01:32:32,000
Chris, and I'm gonna throw in Jennifer Woods

996
01:32:32,000 --> 01:32:35,280
for her work with CTE for your presentations tonight.

997
01:32:35,280 --> 01:32:36,300
They're always top notch,

998
01:32:37,280 --> 01:32:40,200
and we're off to, I feel better about her

999
01:32:40,200 --> 01:32:41,480
off to the year after tonight's meeting.

1000
01:32:42,040 --> 01:32:43,200
I think it's gonna, we're gonna head

1001
01:32:43,200 --> 01:32:44,160
in the right direction here.

1002
01:32:44,460 --> 01:32:45,860
I mean, it's been a rough start,

1003
01:32:45,860 --> 01:32:48,260
our transportation, they've done.

1004
01:32:48,820 --> 01:32:50,720
Yomans work, but we lost three drivers

1005
01:32:50,720 --> 01:32:53,220
or before we start, and it takes two months

1006
01:32:53,220 --> 01:32:54,120
to replace them.

1007
01:32:54,520 --> 01:32:55,320
We're up against it.

1008
01:32:55,680 --> 01:32:57,420
We do take our feedback from our public.

1009
01:32:57,640 --> 01:32:59,720
We do meet that we are meeting.

1010
01:32:59,940 --> 01:33:01,420
We do get things adjusted.

1011
01:33:02,340 --> 01:33:04,240
We can't always share exactly what's going on

1012
01:33:04,240 --> 01:33:05,160
when it comes to employees.

1013
01:33:05,400 --> 01:33:08,840
So I want to thank everyone again here for being here tonight,

1014
01:33:09,060 --> 01:33:10,540
and that concludes my comments.

1015
01:33:11,720 --> 01:33:14,980
All right, the real MVPs of the night are these children

1016
01:33:14,980 --> 01:33:17,260
who have set like angels.

1017
01:33:18,240 --> 01:33:20,280
Are they students in our school system?

1018
01:33:21,060 --> 01:33:25,620
We're going to have to get a picture for social media because y'all are rock stars.

1019
01:33:26,340 --> 01:33:33,960
And whatever you're doing as parents please write a book because my 15 year old wouldn't have set like that tonight.

1020
01:33:34,500 --> 01:33:36,340
So y'all are rock stars, thank you.

1021
01:33:36,500 --> 01:33:38,540
Thank you parents for sharing your concerns.

1022
01:33:39,420 --> 01:33:43,560
I know it's uncomfortable for people when parents talk about concerns.

1023
01:33:43,560 --> 01:33:50,160
We want engaged parents, we want to hear the good, the bad, the ugly, so that we can get better.

1024
01:33:50,540 --> 01:33:54,480
So thank you. There are pain points. We're going to work to get better.

1025
01:33:54,860 --> 01:33:58,120
So thank you for taking the time and children. Y'all are awesome.

1026
01:33:58,540 --> 01:34:03,980
Now you've got to be sweet tomorrow after this lack of sleep, but we're going to get a picture with you

1027
01:34:03,980 --> 01:34:07,100
because y'all need to be highlighted if your parents are okay with that.

1028
01:34:07,800 --> 01:34:16,200
Our community engagement meeting is Monday at JPNAP PLC at 6 p.m., again, we want parents to come.

1029
01:34:17,260 --> 01:34:21,160
This was an initiative, Sandy and Emily have worked very hard on community engagement.

1030
01:34:22,020 --> 01:34:25,420
This is something that's a big deal we want to hear. This is how we get better.

1031
01:34:25,940 --> 01:34:30,980
We see that we're academically getting better. We've been awarded in communication, that we're getting better.

1032
01:34:31,340 --> 01:34:33,400
That's the direction we want to continue to come.

1033
01:34:33,400 --> 01:34:38,000
We want Ms. Hodges to be able to stand up in years to come and have lots of ratings

1034
01:34:38,000 --> 01:34:42,240
that are number one, number two, number three, and we're only going to get that with

1035
01:34:42,240 --> 01:34:43,040
parental input.

1036
01:34:43,740 --> 01:34:47,220
I was going to echo, but I don't need to echo and roll and list employee.

1037
01:34:47,400 --> 01:34:48,180
That is our motto.

1038
01:34:49,620 --> 01:34:51,960
We want to be excellent in all of those areas.

1039
01:34:52,360 --> 01:34:54,800
We are super excited about our ROTC program.

1040
01:34:54,820 --> 01:34:56,660
We are fully staffed with two people.

1041
01:34:57,200 --> 01:34:59,680
It's an incredible program for enlist.

1042
01:35:00,700 --> 01:35:02,140
We're doing great with enroll.

1043
01:35:02,140 --> 01:35:06,000
We have more opportunities in CTE.

1044
01:35:06,320 --> 01:35:07,660
We have more AP offerings.

1045
01:35:08,080 --> 01:35:09,540
We're doing a lot of good things there.

1046
01:35:10,140 --> 01:35:12,560
And then employment, which is tied to those skills.

1047
01:35:12,880 --> 01:35:17,100
Ms. Dowdy also serves with COA on their board and

1048
01:35:17,100 --> 01:35:20,240
us to be able to partner and make sure we're partnering with COA.

1049
01:35:20,800 --> 01:35:25,780
I think what Mr. Banks meant to say is the secretaries aren't warm and fuzzy.

1050
01:35:26,200 --> 01:35:28,600
That's what he meant to say, warm and fuzzy.

1051
01:35:29,180 --> 01:35:31,080
I'm not warmer fuzzy either.

1052
01:35:31,080 --> 01:35:32,920
So that goes how it is.

1053
01:35:33,120 --> 01:35:36,060
So he meant to say warm or fuzzy, Ms. Bauer,

1054
01:35:36,260 --> 01:35:41,780
if you just would work on some type of advertisement for us,

1055
01:35:42,020 --> 01:35:44,320
we're going to blast our state representatives

1056
01:35:44,320 --> 01:35:47,180
and you can certainly tell him that Dana Parker asked you to.

1057
01:35:47,500 --> 01:35:50,120
We are going to blast them about the ferry,

1058
01:35:50,680 --> 01:35:52,860
about teacher pay, about accountability,

1059
01:35:53,320 --> 01:35:55,980
and about the transportation system that they've given us.

1060
01:35:56,340 --> 01:35:58,440
Because what really continues to happen,

1061
01:35:58,440 --> 01:36:03,820
And it's also interesting with Ms. Mazzal when she talked about the budget, where required

1062
01:36:03,820 --> 01:36:06,800
to give a budget to the county commissioners in the spring.

1063
01:36:07,960 --> 01:36:13,660
And then the state doesn't do a budget, if they even do one, that's great.

1064
01:36:14,000 --> 01:36:15,680
But if they do it, it's in the summer.

1065
01:36:16,160 --> 01:36:22,280
So we've asked Mr. Banks and I work with the chair and co-chair of the Board of Commissioners,

1066
01:36:22,440 --> 01:36:26,820
we're going and asking for money, and we're completely blind about what the state's going

1067
01:36:26,820 --> 01:36:27,100
to do.

1068
01:36:27,100 --> 01:36:31,580
So that's how we then come in sometimes and we think hey, we're going to be great, we're

1069
01:36:31,580 --> 01:36:32,840
going to be able to fund these things.

1070
01:36:33,420 --> 01:36:39,380
And then the state rolls out unfunded mandates and tells us you have to do this, you have

1071
01:36:39,380 --> 01:36:45,180
to raise this pay, we have to do this, and we have no way to prepare for that.

1072
01:36:45,680 --> 01:36:49,580
It's like you doing a budget at home and not knowing how much your bills are going to be

1073
01:36:50,240 --> 01:36:51,440
within five months.

1074
01:36:51,940 --> 01:36:56,460
So there's some work to do with the state, we're going to keep working and keep partnering

1075
01:36:56,460 --> 01:37:01,400
with them but we want to partner with parents. We want y'all to help us. If you want to go to

1076
01:37:01,400 --> 01:37:05,940
Raleigh with this, we went to Raleigh last year. I would love to take a big group. Maybe Mr.

1077
01:37:06,060 --> 01:37:11,300
Mellon's we could get a bus if we get lucky. And we'll take a bus to Raleigh as Dr. Loots looks like

1078
01:37:11,300 --> 01:37:20,400
dear God know. All right. So we want parents to be engaged. So thank you so much. At this time I need

1079
01:37:20,400 --> 01:37:28,400
a motion to adjourn. Second? All in favor? All right adjourn. I'd love a picture of

1080
01:37:28,400 --> 01:37:31,620
the children want to wake up. We need to thank y'all. It's up to your

1081
01:37:31,620 --> 01:37:33,120
their mom and some daddy's, they might not wait.