May 09, 2022 Regular Board Meetings

COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE TO ASK MR.

[00:00:04]

[I. CALL TO ORDER]

WAS IT 25% OF THOSE? AGAIN, IT'S LIKE, I HATE TO EQUATE IT TO YOUR MORTGAGE, BUT IT KIND OF IS IN THAT.

SO BEING FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE IN THAT WE WE PAY A LOT MORE OF OUR MORTGAGE EARLY TO CONTINUE TO OBVIOUSLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INTEREST RATE REDUCTION AS WELL AS IS INCREASING OUR DEBT CAPACITY FOR UNEXPECTED WORLD PANDEMICS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN EVERY NOW AND THEN.

AND CERTAINLY TO YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, IT'S THAT EVERY TIME THAT WE HAVE A BOND ELECTION, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WORKING WITH MR. ROBERT, WE ARE ALREADY PLANNING STRUCTURING FOR THE NEXT BOND ELECTION BECAUSE OF OUR HISTORY OF GOING TO THE VOTERS EVERY FIVE YEARS.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN WITHIN THE CURRENT TAX RATE TO MAXIMIZE THAT CAPACITY SO THAT THE BOARD-- [COUGH] EXCUSE ME, SO THE BOARD HAS THE MOST OPTIONS GOING TO THAT NEXT BOND ELECTION.

NOW, I CAN'T CERTAINLY PREDICT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEXT BOND ELECTION, BUT I AM ALWAYS PLANNING FOR THAT NEXT BOND ELECTION EVERY FIVE YEARS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A CONVERSATION, I BELIEVE PROBABLY NOW FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS AROUND COMPENSATION, AND WE HAVE, IN SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS, PROVIDED YOU WITH BENCHMARK DATA.

AS YOU KNOW, THAT BENCHMARK DATA CONTINUES TO BE UPDATED BOTH WITH WHAT DISTRICTS HAVE DONE AND HOW WE COMPARE IN PAST BUDGET YEARS, AS WELL AS WHAT DISTRICTS AROUND US HAVE ALREADY EITHER ARE PROPOSING OR HAVE ALREADY APPROVED.

AND AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, I RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.

I HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM OUR TEACHERS, FROM OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

DR. GOODSON AND I HAVE BEEN IN MANY ONE ON ONE MEETINGS WITH STAFF MEMBERS WHERE THEY HAVE SHARED THEIR DESIRE TO--.

YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR OUTCOME THEY HOPE TO SEE IN THE COMPENSATION PLAN.

AND THEN OUR CABINET TEAM HAS HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND COMPENSATION.

AND SO TONIGHT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD, BASED UPON THE BREADTH OF THAT INPUT, WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A COMPENSATION PACKAGE THAT WILL REWARD, COMPENSATE OUR TEACHERS, OUR CURRENT STAFF THAT WE HAVE THAT HAVE POURED EVERYTHING INTO THIS DISTRICT,

[B. Announcements / Communications]

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO SOME OF THOSE DETAILS, AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING.

SO GO AHEAD, MR. PATE.

SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.

I WON'T READ THESE TO EVERYONE, BUT I THINK THESE WERE SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT OUR TEAM HAD IN BRINGING FORTH THIS PROPOSAL.

WE WANT TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN RECRUITING NEW STAFF MEMBERS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW OUR BOARD, PREVIOUS BOARDS HAVE BEEN VERY COMMITTED TO NOT INTRODUCING A GREATER LEVEL OF COMPRESSION.

AND SO HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT OUR VETERAN TEACHERS HAVE SOME SAFE SPACE BETWEEN WHAT OUR NEW TEACHERS MAKE? HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE ARE CREATING EFFICIENCIES IN THE BUDGET TO CREATE CAPACITY TO TAKE ON WHAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE A LONG TERM PROPOSAL? SO WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR-- TO ADOPT THIS COMPENSATION, IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING YOU PAY THIS YEAR.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ADDED IN THE BUDGET IN PERPETUITY BECAUSE THAT WE BUILD THAT BUDGET ON THAT.

SO THIS BUDGET YEAR DOES INCLUDE OVER $1.2 MILLION IN CUTS THAT WE HAVE MADE AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL IN CENTRAL STAFFING TO HELP PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY. AND THEN AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED ABOUT OUR CONVERSATIONS HAS BEEN, YES, WE WANT TO REWARD OUR STAFF, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO DO THAT IN TERMS OF A COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGE, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT WORK ENVIRONMENT.

AND SO I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT IN TONIGHT'S PROPOSAL.

SO WITH THAT, WHAT ARE WE BRINGING FORWARD? AS YOU KNOW, OUR CURRENT NEW TEACHER SALARY IS AT $55,000.

WE ARE PROPOSING TO INCREASE THAT TO $57,000.

WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR EXISTING TEACHERS, WE WOULD LIKE TO APPLY A SIMILAR STRATIFIED RAISE THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST BASED

[00:05:03]

SO IF YOU WERE A 1 TO 4 YEAR TEACHER, YOU WOULD BE A 4.25% RAISE ALL THE WAY UP TO A 16 PLUS YEAR TEACHER WOULD CREATE A 5% RAISE.

SO AGAIN, THIS ALLOWS US TO ENSURE THAT A ONE YEAR TEACHER WHO CAME IN AT $55,000 IS MAKING MORE THAN THE $57,000.

AND FOR OUR 16 YEAR TEACHER, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, A 5% RAISE HELPS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT REINTRODUCING ANY NEW COMPRESSION.

OTHER STAFF IN THE DISTRICT, IT WOULD BE A 4% RAISE FOR CENTRAL OFFICE, FOR ANY OF OUR TEAMS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY T TYPES, AND WHEN WE SAY T TYPES, WE MEAN TEACHER, COUNSELORS, NURSES AND LIBRARIANS.

SO THEY WOULD BE ON THAT STRATIFIED 4.25 TO 5%, RAISE THE REST OF THE STAFF, IT WOULD BE A 4% RAISE.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ALL RAISES ARE CONTINGENT UPON PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS AND EVERYONE WOULD NEED TO HIT A MEETS EXPECTATION OR ANOTHER EQUIVALENT RATING BASED UPON THEIR EVALUATION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS RAISE.

STIPENDS. A RETENTION STIPEND, AGAIN, ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD IN THIS IS, AGAIN, WE RECOGNIZE FOR OUR TENURED TEACHERS THAT HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY BRING AND CONTINUING TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT INTRODUCING COMPRESSION BUT ALSO SOME OF THE OTHER PACKAGES THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD SUCH AS PRE-K AND DAYCARE.

SOME OF THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE APPEALING TO SOME OF OUR STAFF THAT, MAYBE, HAVE LESS YEARS OF SERVICE.

AND SO WE FELT LIKE BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH A STIPEND FOR OUR 11 PLUS YEARS WAS A BALANCE OF THE OVERALL PACKAGE. AND SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR A RETENTION STIPEND FOR TEACHERS, 1 TO 10 YEARS, A $1,500 DOLLARS STIPEND, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE 11 PLUS YEARS, A $2,000 RETENTION STIPEND.

ALL OTHER STAFF, IT WOULD BE A $1,000 STIPEND.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE STIPENDS FOR RETENTION WOULD BE A PART OF ESSER AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY AN ALLOWABLE ALLOCATION IN OUR ESSER FUNDS AND SOMETHING THAT IF YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS, WHEN THEY'RE PROVIDING A STIPEND, THEY ARE USING AVAILABLE ESSER FUNDS.

AGAIN, FOR THE RETENTION STIPEND THE SAME CAVEAT DOES PLAY INTO, WE NEED TO HAVE-- EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE A SATISFACTORY RATING IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS--.

THIS IS ABOUT RETENTION.

SO THIS IS THAT THEY COME BACK AND THEY ARE EMPLOYED WITH US THROUGH SEPTEMBER IN ORDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, TO RECEIVE THIS STIPEND.

A NEW HIGHER STIPEND.

WE ARE PROPOSING $1,754 NEW TEACHERS, $750 FOR ALL OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

THIS IS NOT AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE OUT OF ESSER FUNDS BECAUSE IT MUST BE A RETENTION.

IT IS NOT TO ATTRACT NEW STAFF MEMBERS, SO THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE OUT OF GENERAL FUND.

VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THIS IS A ONE TIME EXPENSE.

SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MOVES FORWARD AND WOULD BE BUILT INTO FUTURE EXPENDITURE LINES.

THIS IS A ONE YEAR EXPENSE.

AND THEN AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE CAVEAT IN TERMS OF WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THAT.

MS. BRANUM? YES.

REAL QUICK QUESTION. ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH. I'LL STOP RIGHT THERE BEFORE WE MOVE INTO--.

SORRY. I DIDN'T KNOW--.

NO, YOU'RE GREAT. NEW HIGHER STIPEND, NEW TEACHERS, IS THAT FIRST TIME TEACHERS OR IS THAT JUST NEW HIRE TO THE DISTRICT? ANY NEW HIRE TO THE DISTRICT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

YES. SO IF YOU ARE COMING, WHETHER YOU HAVE TWO YEARS EXPERIENCE, YOU'RE A ZERO YEAR OR YOU HAVE 15 YEARS, YOU WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE $1,750.

AND THEN AGAIN, WE ARE NOT JUST COMPETING FOR STAFF, FOR TEACHERS, WE ARE REALLY COMPETING WHETHER IT IS A BUS DRIVER OR WHETHER IT IS IN OUR GROUNDS DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT IS FOR A COUNSELOR, IT IS THE MARKETPLACE IS REAL.

AND SO WE ARE GOING TO BE FOR THE FIRST TIME ADDRESSING A NEW HIGHER STIPEND FOR ALL CLASSIFICATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

AND IF I COULD JUST ADD ON THERE, THIS STIPEND THE WAY IT IS STRUCTURED, IT'S FOR NEW HIRES ALL YEAR.

SO PEOPLE WE HIRE FROM BEGINNING MAY 31ST, BECAUSE THAT'S AFTER THE DATE OF THE RETENTION STIPEND, FROM MAY 31ST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH MAY 26TH, THE LAST DAY OF INSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR.

[00:10:04]

WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HAD THIS YEAR A LOT OF VACANCIES, WE'VE--.

OH, GOSH. APRIL 15TH, THE LAST REPORT I HAD RUN, WE HAD 381 VACANCIES IN THE DISTRICT.

SO WE KNOW THAT WE EXPECT WE WILL BE FIGHTING THE VACANCY BATTLE ALL YEAR, NEXT YEAR AGAIN.

AND I THINK THAT SECOND BULLET DOWN THERE, THE ELIGIBILITY.

SO THIS IS--. HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE TO STAY? I MEAN, THIS IS NOT--.

THIS IS SPLIT OUT OVER MULTIPLE PAYMENTS, SO OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A MOTIVATION TO REMAIN WITH THE DISTRICT AS A NEW EMPLOYEE AS WELL, RIGHT? IT WILL BE PAYING THIS QUARTERLY.

SO GENERALLY A MONTH, TWO MONTHS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT WILL BE THE TIME PERIOD TO STAY TO RECEIVE THE STIPEND.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS FIRST PART IN TERMS OF THE COMPENSATION STIPENDS OR WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IN TERMS OF THE STRATIFIED RAISE? OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ADDRESSING BENEFITS.

I'LL LET MR. PATE HAVE SOME OF THE DETAILS, BUT I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE A TIME WHEN WE COULD COME AT THE HORSESHOE AND BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH OUR EMPLOYEES THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A COST INCREASE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, FOR THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR.

EVERY PLAN THAT IS AVAILABLE, IT WILL EITHER BE AN EQUIVALENT OR IT WILL BE A REDUCTION IN PREMIUMS THAT OUR STAFF WILL HAVE FOR THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THAT--. I DON'T REMEMBER THAT HAPPENING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF PLANS THAT SAW LIKE AN $0.87 CENT INCREASE AND ONE HAD $1.27 INCREASE IN THAT PLAN, AND THE DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE ABSORBING, IT'S A SMALL FEE OF LESS THAN $2,000 A YEAR THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE TAKING ON TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STAFF MEMBER WE HAVE WILL NOT, IF THEY TAKE OUR INSURANCE, IF THEY USE TRS, WILL NOT EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE.

SO, MR. PATE, I'LL LET YOU GO INTO SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.

THANK YOU, MRS. BRANUM. THE TRS OFFERS FIVE DIFFERENT HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS.

ACTIVE CARE TWO IS CLOSED TO NEW PARTICIPANTS.

THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR--.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THE MIX HERE.

THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT TRS HAS SET REGIONAL RATES.

SO FOR EACH OF THE 20 REGIONAL SERVICE CENTERS, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT RATES FOR HEALTH CARE.

ALSO, THE STATE HAS PUT SIGNIFICANT FUNDING INTO HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH THEIR ESSER DOLLARS THIS YEAR, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.

JUST BEFORE WE GO INTO THE RATES REAL QUICK, 65% OF OUR EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN THE DISTRICT'S HEALTH CARE.

THAT'S 3,799 EMPLOYEES OUT OF 5,847 ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.

I HAVE LISTED FOR YOU THE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES OR DECREASES, RATHER.

IT'S HARD TO GET USED TO SAYING HEALTH INSURANCE DECREASE.

THESE ARE THE EMPLOYEE ONLY COVERAGES THAT I HAVE LISTED HERE, BUT FOR THE--.

THERE WERE--. AND I'LL KIND OF GO INTO A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE REST OF IT.

SO FOR ACTIVE CARE HD, THAT DECREASED $7 A MONTH OR $84 A YEAR FOR THE EMPLOYEE ONLY COVERAGE, BUT ALL OF THE COVERAGE CATEGORIES, SO EMPLOYEE ONLY, EMPLOYEE AND SPOUSE, EMPLOYEE AND CHILD, AND THE FAMILY COVERAGE, ALL SAW DECREASES IN THE PREMIUM COST . ACTIVE CARE PRIMARY PLUS, THE EMPLOYEE ONLY IS DECREASING $27 A MONTH OR $324 A YEAR, AND AGAIN, ALL FOUR OF THOSE COVERAGE GROUPS SAW INSURANCE COST-- INSURANCE PREMIUM DECREASES.

THE ACTIVE CARE TWO, THERE'S NO CHANGE THERE BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO NEW PARTICIPANTS.

ACTIVE CARE PRIMARY DECREASED AGAIN $7 A MONTH FOR EMPLOYEES, BUT AGAIN, ALL CATEGORIES DECREASED.

ACTIVE CARE HMO ACTUALLY SAW VERY SMALL INCREASES, $0.87 A MONTH FOR EMPLOYEE ONLY UP TO $2.56 FOR THE FAMILY PLAN.

IF THE DISTRICT WERE TO GO AHEAD AND COVER THE PREMIUM INCREASE FOR THE ROUGHLY 150 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ON

[00:15:04]

SO THE BUDGET IS BUILT ASSUMING THAT THE DISTRICT WILL ABSORB THAT COST INCREASE.

SO NOBODY WILL HAVE A PREMIUM INCREASE.

THE DISTRICT, JUST AS A REMINDER, CONTRIBUTES GENERALLY $313 A MONTH, BUT IT'S A LITTLE MORE NOW IN SOME CASES.

OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS NOW, THIS IS PRIOR TO THEM MAKING ANY CHANGES IN THEIR COVERAGE OR THEIR THE DISTRICT THEMSELVES CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT IT RANGES ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT $225 A MONTH OR $2,700 A YEAR TO $400 A MONTH OR $4,800 A YEAR.

AND THE AVERAGE IN THE AREA IS $315 A MONTH, AND SO WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO THAT AVERAGE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.

SO AGAIN, IF WE HAVE ANY STAFF THAT IS OUT THERE WATCHING AT 9:25 TONIGHT JUST FOCUS ON THIS SCREEN.

AND WHILE IT MAY FEEL LIKE I'M JESTING ABOUT THAT, THIS REALLY IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY YEARS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE A RAISE, AND IN THE END, THE STAFF DOES NOT REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ACTUALIZING AN INCREASE IN THEIR TAKE HOME PAY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY THE COST OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF MANY OF OUR PARAPROFESSIONAL AND AUXILIARY STAFF WHERE THE INSURANCE PREMIUM BECOMES SUCH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THEIR TAKE HOME. SO WE ARE JUST REALLY RELIEVED THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR STAFF WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FOR NEXT YEAR.

ANOTHER PART OF OUR BENEFIT PACKAGE THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD, I'M GOING TO ASK DR.

GOODSON JUST HE HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR LEADS ON THIS PROJECT, JUST KIND OF, AGAIN, REVIEW FOR OUR COMMUNITY THE BENEFITS OF THIS CLINIC AND WHY THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCH A GREAT THING FOR OUR ENTIRE RISD FAMILY.

THANK YOU, MRS. BRANUM. GOOD EVENING, AGAIN, BOARD.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

WE'RE CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH METHODIST RICHARDSON, STILL WORKING ON THIS PROJECT TO PROVIDE AN EMPLOYEE CLINIC BASICALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER KIND OF AN URGENT CARE. SO NOT NOT REALLY AN E.R.

SO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR INSURANCE, THEY CAN GO TO THE EMPLOYEE CLINIC THAT WILL BE LOCATED AT THE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MINISTRIES BUILDING, WHERE OUR FAMILY SERVICES CENTER IS.

THERE WILL BE A $10 CO-PAY WITH NO BILLING TO INSURANCE.

NOTHING TO DO WITH INSURANCE, REALLY, AS IT RELATES TO OUT OF POCKET, NO FILING ON ANYONE'S INSURANCE.

THERE'LL BE A PHARMACY ON SITE.

PRESCRIPTIONS WILL BE ABLE TO BE SENT TO ANY OTHER PHARMACY, PREFERRED PHARMACY.

THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO IMMUNIZATIONS, BUT AGAIN, FOR SOME OF THE KIND OF USUAL THINGS, TYPICAL THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN DURING A SCHOOL YEAR, AND FOR A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE TIME OR MAKE TIME OR HAVE TO PAY FOR AN OFFICE VISIT FOR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. SOMETIMES THEY'RE WORKING TWO JOBS.

SOMETIMES THEY ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH DAY CARE ON THEIR OWN AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN.

AND SOMETIMES THEY JUST NEED A QUICK SECOND TO RUN TO THE CLINIC BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SCRATCHY THROAT.

THEY MIGHT BE COMING DOWN WITH THE FLU AND THEY CAN GET A C PACK OR SOME OTHER KIND OF SUPPORT FROM THE EMPLOYEE CLINIC WITHOUT USING A SICK DAY, WITHOUT LOSING TIME TO GO AND ACCESS THOSE SERVICES.

AND SO FOR US TO HAVE THIS PARTNERSHIP AND PROVIDE THAT TO OUR EMPLOYEES IS REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND FOR A DISTRICT COSTS OF ABOUT $150,000 A YEAR, WE BELIEVE THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AS IT RELATES TO SUPPORTING OUR EMPLOYEES.

AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF CLASSIFICATION, REGARDLESS OF SCHEDULING, THEY'LL BE FLEXIBLE HOURS FOR THE CLINIC IN TERMS OF EARLY MORNING AND LATER IN THE AFTERNOON . WE'RE THINKING OF INDIVIDUALS, NOT ONLY CAMPUS BASED STAFF, BUT ALSO TRANSPORTATION, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS WHERE THEIR WORK SCHEDULES ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

SO WE'RE, AGAIN, EXCITED FOR THIS TO CONTINUE.

KIND OF LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, SUPPLY CHAIN IS STILL A BIG ISSUE AS IT RELATES TO EVEN GETTING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SO THAT THESE KINDS OF SERVICES CAN BE AVAILABLE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE STILL EXCITED TO SEE MOVING FORWARD.

SO WHEN WE MOVE INTO THE ACTION ITEM FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, THIS IS ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT WE ARE REQUESTING IN TERMS OF EXPENDITURES FROM THE BOARD, IS THE OK TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT $150,000 LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS PROVIDING THIS SERVICE.

AND AGAIN, IF YOU THINK OF $150,000 DIVIDED BY OUR 6,000 EMPLOYEES AND WHAT WE RECEIVE IN TERMS OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR WHAT THIS COMMITS AND WHAT THIS MESSAGE IS TO OUR STAFF, WE THINK IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

AND I WOULD JUST ADD IF I COULD, MRS. BRANUM, WHEN DR.

[00:20:01]

AND WE ARE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL TO NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MINISTRIES AND METHODIST RICHARDSON FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROJECT, OTHERWISE IT WOULD NOT BE AT THIS COST TO THE DISTRICT. NOW, THE NEXT COMPONENT AND WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THIS, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BRING BACK TO YOU AS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FORMAL ACTION ITEM IN JUNE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STAFFING OF THE TWO POTENTIAL DAYCARE CENTERS, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO I'M GOING TO LET MISS HAYES JUST QUICKLY COVER SOME OF THIS.

AGAIN, WE WANTED TO PUT THIS ON THERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO PRESENT AN ENTIRE COMPENSATION PACKAGE.

THIS ONE COMPONENT WE'RE NOT VOTING ON NECESSARILY TONIGHT, BUT WE VERY MUCH BELIEVE THIS IS A PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO COMMIT TO OUR STAFF.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE A BONUS THAT WE HAVE THIS THAT SOME OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T.

SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS DO, BUT SOME OF THEM DON'T.

AND AGAIN, FOR-- WHILE THERE WILL BE SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE ONGOING COSTS BY FAR WILL BE OUTWEIGHED BY THE BENEFIT THAT THIS WILL PROVIDE TO OUR STAFF.

SO, MS. HAYES? THANK YOU, MISS BRANUM.

WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO LOCATIONS THAT THE DISTRICT ALREADY OWNS THAT REQUIRE MINIMAL RENOVATIONS IN ORDER TO GET STARTED.

THE AREA OF CANYON CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT USED TO BE ENTERPRISE CITY AND THEN THE NEWCOMER INTAKE CENTER ACROSS FROM RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.

SINCE WE MOVED THAT AND JOINED NETWORK SERVICES, WE HAVE THAT BUILDING AVAILABLE AS WELL.

SO THIS WOULD BE DAYCARE FOR INFANTS THROUGH THREE YEAR OLDS.

ONCE THEY TURNED THREE, THEY WOULD THEN TRANSFER INTO OUR PRE-K PROGRAMS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

[INAUDIBLE]. THIS WOULD BE LICENSED DAYCARES WITH THE STATE, SO WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET FOR BOTH THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, BOTH OF THESE ARE LOCATED IN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, AND WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND SO WE WOULD PROVIDE CHILD CARE EACH DAY, INCLUDING INTO THE SUMMER FOR EMPLOYEES THAT WORK YEAR ROUND AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE TEACHERS AND THE TEACHER SCHEDULES.

SO ABOUT $2 MILLION RIGHT NOW IS OUR ESTIMATE.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BOK ARCHITECTS ON THIS TO GIVE US SOME PRELIMINARY ROUGH ORDER MAGNITUDE NUMBERS IN ORDER TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.

AND MISS HAYES, SINCE THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS PROPOSED IN BOND, WE WOULD POTENTIALLY BE LOOKING AT USING FUND BALANCE OR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

MR. PATE AND MS. HAYES. I'LL LOOK AT BOTH OF YOU POTENTIALLY TO FUND THAT? YES, THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.

OK THE NEXT ITEM.

WE HAVE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THIS, SO I WILL NOT SPEND A LOT OF TIME, BUT WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE REDUCE THE TUITION FOR OUR EMPLOYEE PRE-K TO $150 A MONTH.

THIS WOULD BE BOTH FOR OUR THREE YEAR OLD PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR FOUR YEAR OLD PROGRAM.

AND I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS HAD IN THE PAST IS HOW MANY LOCATIONS DO WE SERVE? AND WE CURRENTLY FOR THREE YEAR OLDS, WE HAVE SEVEN CAMPUSES THAT CAN HOLD THREE YEAR OLDS.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WE SERVE THREE YEAR OLDS THAT QUALIFY FIRST, AND THEN IF THERE ARE SEATS AVAILABLE, THEN WE OFFER THOSE TO OUR STAFF.

AND THEN FOR PRE-K, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE 29 CAMPUSES THAT HAVE PRE-K PROGRAMS, AND WE ARE ABLE TO SEAT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WISH TO HAVE THE EMPLOYEE DAYCARE OPTION.

THE OTHER THING THAT, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY CAME AS A CHARGE FROM THE BOARD IN SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS IS HOW CAN WE OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYEES FOR JOB SHARING? AGAIN, IT MIGHT BE THAT WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER WHO WANTS, YOU KNOW, TO WORK IN THE MORNINGS AND SHE TAKES THE AM SHIFT, AND THEN WE MAY HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO TAKE THE PM SHIFT.

AND SO THEY WOULD JOB SHARE IN THAT SCENARIO.

IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHETHER IT'S A COUNSELOR OR A NURSE JUST PROVIDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE MAYBE WE HAVE SOME REALLY PHENOMENAL EMPLOYEES THAT DUE TO FAMILY SITUATIONS, DUE TO HEALTH REALLY WOULD PREFER TO HAVE A MORE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE, AND SO WE ARE-- OUR HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM IS HARD AT WORK AT PROVIDING THOSE AND MAKING THOSE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

AND THEN ALSO BEGINNING TO LOOK AT THERE ARE MANY JOBS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE COMPETING WITH WHERE THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE WORK ENVIRONMENT IS A KEY COMPONENT OF RECRUITING THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

AND SO FOR THOSE KEY AREAS, YOU CAN WE PROVIDE THAT FLEXIBLE WORK OPTION THAT WE KNOW IS COMPETITIVE WITH THE MARKETPLACE.

[00:25:04]

AND THEN FINALLY, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, AND THIS REALLY DOES NOT HAVE BUDGET IMPLICATIONS, THESE REALLY ARE PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO DOING AND WE'VE SHARED AT LENGTH THE BENEFITS OF THIS, BUT THIS REALLY IS ABOUT HOW DO WE RECRUIT MORE PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE? AND SO, DR. GOODSON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO JUST QUICKLY ADDRESS TEA GRANTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED TO REALLY IDENTIFY PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT WE CAN HELP GET THROUGH THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND THEIR CERTIFICATION, PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT HAVE THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREES, ETC..

ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW COMPETITIVE WE HAVE TO BE IN A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT WAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE FEWER CANDIDATES COMING OUT OF OUR UNIVERSITIES AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. WE ARE SEEING MANY MORE ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION CANDIDATES COMING OUT, GOING INTO THE PROFESSION.

BUT OVERALL, WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, TOO, TO KIND OF START THAT PATHWAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED.

AND SO WITH THE TCLAS GRANTS, WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN TWO DIFFERENT DECISIONS, IF YOU WILL.

ONE OF THEM IS WORKING ON A PAID RESIDENCY, BASICALLY, PAID STUDENT TEACHING OPPORTUNITY FOR A CANDIDATE WHO IS FINISHING UP THEIR PROGRAMING.

AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH STUDENT TEACHING I-- THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT OPTION BECAUSE AS A COLLEGE STUDENT GOING THROUGH A PROGRAM, TRYING TO, IN SOME CASES, SUPPORT YOURSELF AND AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT, HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY KIND OF MONEY WHILE YOU'RE FINALIZING YOUR PROGRAM, WORKING ON YOUR DEGREE, WORKING ON YOUR CERTIFICATION, IT JUST KIND OF, AND PARTICULARLY KNOWING THAT THE DISTRICT WHERE YOU ARE COMPLETING THAT RESIDENCY IS MAKING THAT INVESTMENT IN YOU, THAT'S THE KIND OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE ULTIMATELY LOOKING FOR.

I WENT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, RICHARDSON ISD IS THE DISTRICT THAT SUPPORTED ME, I'M STAYING HERE, AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE PUTTING IN A LITTLE BIT OF A CAVEAT THAT SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO EXPECT YOU TO BE WITH US FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER YOU GRADUATE AND GET THAT CERTIFICATION.

AND SO THOSE ARE-- THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

AGAIN, TAPPING INTO OUR CURRENT STAFF WHO ARE MAYBE THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR DEGREE, BUT THEY WANT TO WORK ON GETTING THEIR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION OR THEY ARE WANTING TO START A PROGRAM TO DO BOTH WITH THE TCLAS GRANTS AND SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERSHIPS WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM IN SOME CASES TO GET REIMBURSED FOR WORKING ON THAT DEGREE AND ON THAT CERTIFICATION.

AND THEN THE ASSOCIATE TEACHER POSITION IS SOMETHING THAT WE--.

IT KIND OF CAME OUT OF NECESSITY AS WE WERE DEALING WITH SOME COVID CHALLENGES AND SUBSTITUTE CHALLENGES, BUT TAKING A VACANCY AND CREATING AN ASSOCIATE TEACHER POSITION SO THAT IT'S NOT A TEACHER OF RECORD, BUT IT'S A CANDIDATE WHO IS FINISHED WITH THEIR DEGREE, BUT MAYBE THEY NEEDED THAT ONE MORE TEST THROUGH SBEC TO GET A CERTIFICATION, ONE ADDITIONAL ESL CERTIFICATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THIS ALLOWED THEM TO WORK FULL TIME.

IT WASN'T A FULL TEACHER SALARY, BUT IT WAS AGAIN, COMPENSATION, AND THAT WAS A WAY FOR US TO HANG ON TO THAT REAL QUALITY CANDIDATE SO THAT WHEN THEY DID FINISH THEIR PROGRAMING, WE GOT THEM BACK FULL TIME.

WE KEPT THEM FULL TIME.

AND AGAIN, JUST A RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF KNOWING THAT, I WAS A PART OF THIS DISTRICT, THEY SUPPORTED ME AS I FINISHED THIS, AND I'M GOING TO STAY HERE.

SO THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES.

I'M NOT GOING TO BE SHARING IN DEPTH BECAUSE WE'VE REVIEWED THIS IN PAST MEETINGS, BUT I CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS WITHOUT, AGAIN, JUST ASSURING THE BOARD THAT WE ARE HAVING LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY CONTINUE TO FOCUS OUR WORK AROUND THE CULTURE BECAUSE COMPENSATION IS JUST ONE PIECE. YES, IS IT SIGNIFICANT, BUT ULTIMATELY, IF THE PLACE, IF THE PERSON, I'M WORKING FOR, I DO NOT FEEL SUPPORTED BY AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THAT VISION IS SOMETHING ALIGNS TO WHAT I HOPE TO ACHIEVE, AND THE CONDITIONS DO NOT ALLOW ME TO THRIVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL, COMPENSATION CAN ONLY GET US SO FAR. AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

AGAIN, WE'VE YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE EVERY ELEMENTARY TEACHER NEXT YEAR HAS AN ADDITIONAL EXTENDED PLANNING PERIOD, AT LEAST MONTHLY.

[00:30:05]

AND SO FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST MONTHLY I'M GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT WITH MY TEAM AND DO EXTENDED PLANNING IS INVALUABLE.

AND THEN LOTS OF OTHER WORK, DR.

GIBBONS LEADING SOME WORK AROUND ADDRESSING THE BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE THAT WE'VE SEEN, ESPECIALLY AS IT'S INCREASED AS A RESULT OF COVID AND STUDENTS BEING AT HOME FOR SUCH AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

BUT I JUST WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN TERMS OF THAT CULTURE PIECE.

SO NOW YOU MIGHT BE ASKING WHAT IMPACT MIGHT THIS HAVE ON OUR BUDGET? SO I'M GOING TO TURN THE REST OVER TO MR. PATE. THANK YOU, MRS. BRANUM. AND SO, MS. BRANUM ALLUDED EARLIER TO SOME REQUIRED COST INCREASES, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL THE STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING, UNFORTUNATELY, IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES, YOU KNOW, OR AT LEAST THE FIRST TWO ARE, UTILITY COST INCREASES AND FUEL COST INCREASES, THEN WE DISCUSSED THE EMPLOYEE CLINIC, ELECTION COST INCREASES [INAUDIBLE] OUR BUDGET HAS NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE HAD TO AMEND THE BUDGET FOR ELECTION COST.

AND THEN I KNOW YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND THE COSTS THAT ARE BEING PASSED ON TO THE DISTRICT.

AND THEN DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT HAS INCREASED THEIR FEES TO US.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, AND, I MEAN, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE AN INCREASE, BUT WHEN THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECREASE OUR FEES, THEY DID DECREASE OUR FEES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR THAT WE'RE ENDING.

SO THEY DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT HAS BEEN A GOOD STEWARD OF OUR TAXPAYER'S MONEY.

THEN THE-- MOVING INTO THE GENERAL FUND MULTI YEAR FORECAST, AND I KNOW THIS IS A VERY BUSY SLIDE AND I APOLOGIZE, I CONDENSED AS MANY LINES AS I THOUGHT WAS REASONABLE AND STILL CONVEYED THE INFORMATION THAT I KNEW THAT YOU WOULD WANT.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THE, STARTING ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THE ESTIMATE FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND THEN THE NEXT FOUR FISCAL YEARS.

I HAVE THE PROPERTY VALUE INCREASES ACROSS THE TOP.

THE NEXT ROW UNDER THE HEADING, THERE IS THE ESTIMATED TAX RATES, AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST, THESE ARE ONLY ESTIMATES AT THIS POINT.

WE WILL SUBMIT DATA TO TEA IN THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST AND THEN THEY WILL TELL US WHAT OUR TAX RATE IS GOING TO BE THAT YOU WILL ADOPT IN SEPTEMBER, BUT THIS IS OUR BEST ESTIMATE TODAY.

THE TOTAL REVENUE THERE INCLUDES PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BASED ON THE INCREASE IN THE MANDATED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM $25,000 TO $40,000.

AGAIN, NOT THE OTHER ITEM THAT WAS PASSED ON SATURDAY.

OUR RECURRING COSTS THERE INCLUDE BASE PAYROLL OR WHAT I REFER TO AS PAYROLL CONTINUATION THOSE EXISTING EMPLOYEES AND CONTINUING THOSE ON AND THEN ALL OF OUR OTHER COSTS.

AND I'VE INCLUDED A 5% INFLATION FACTOR ON THE NON PAYROLL COMPONENT OF THAT FOR ALL FUTURE YEARS.

THEN WE HAVE THE RAISE PROPOSITION THAT WAS PRESENTED EARLIER FOR FISCAL YEAR 22-23, THE 4.25% TO 5% FOR OUR T TYPE EMPLOYEES AND 4% FOR ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES FOR THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS, 23-24 AND SUBSEQUENT-- . I JUST BUILT IN A 3% RAISE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES GOING FORWARD.

WASN'T SURE IF WE WERE INTENDING TO CONTINUE THE CURRENT LEVEL OF RAISES, SO I JUST WAS CONSERVATIVE AND MOVED IT TO A 3%. I CAN CERTAINLY AT THE NEXT MEETING PRESENT A DIFFERENT SCENARIO FOR THE FUTURE, BUT THAT IS 3% ONGOING.

THE NEW HIGHER STIPEND, AS MRS. BRANUM MENTIONED, IS A ONE YEAR ITEM.

THEN THE BUDGET INCREASES FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE ARE INCLUDED, AND THEN I'VE INCREASED THOSE ANNUALLY 5% A YEAR FOR INFLATION.

THERE IS THE REDUCTION THAT IS THE ELIMINATED POSITIONS MS. BRANUM SPOKE OF AND BECAUSE THAT SAME BASE PAYROLL IS IN THE RECURRING COST LINE.

THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT ELIMINATED POSITIONS INCLUDED FOR ALL YEARS BECAUSE--.

[COUGH] EXCUSE ME.

THERE'S NO NEW EMPLOYEES IN HERE.

NO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.

WHEN I SAY NO NEW EMPLOYEES, NO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN HERE.

[00:35:01]

THEN WE'RE--.

AND MOVING DOWN IN 22-23, YOU HAVE THE LAST YEAR OF THE ESSER SUPPLANTING, $7.6 MILLION, AND THEN THAT BRINGS YOU TO OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES LINE GOING ACROSS FOR EACH YEAR.

ESTIMATED AT THIS POINT, CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE.

GOING BACK JUST A MINUTE TO THE LEFT ONE COLUMN 21-22, BEST ESTIMATE TODAY, CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE, WE WILL ADD $13.8 MILLION TO FUND BALANCE.

AND THEN I'VE PUT THE ENDING TOTAL FUND BALANCE SINCE TOTAL FUND BALANCE IS AVAILABLE TO SATISFY ALL THE EXPENDITURES.

SO GOING THEN BACK OVER TO 22-23, CURRENT ESTIMATES DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF $21.4, ALMOST $21.5 MILLION.

ENDING TOTAL FUND BALANCE.

ENDING TOTAL FUND BALANCE REPRESENTS 41% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WALKING THAT FORWARD BASED ON THIS SPECIFIC SCENARIO, MOVING TO A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF $45 MILLION, FUND BALANCE BECOMES 28% OF EXPENDITURES, $61 MILLION DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AND THEN $79.7 MILLION THE FINAL YEAR. AGAIN, THIS IS ALL BASED ON CURRENT LAW.

WE WILL HAVE A LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN THE SPRING OF '23, POSSIBLY AFFECTING FUTURE YEARS AND THEN AGAIN THE SPRING OF '25 AFFECTING SUBSEQUENT YEARS THERE ALSO.

AND THE OTHER THING I WOULD POINT OUT, WHILE THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT PASSED INCREASING THE STATE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM $25,000 TO $40,000 DOES INCLUDE THE CONCEPT OF HOLD HARMLESS.

BASED ON CURRENT ESTIMATES, RICHARDSON ISD DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY HOLD HARMLESS FUNDING FOR THAT INCREASE.

AND I WILL STOP THERE AND WE CAN ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS.

MR. POTEET? YES [COUGH]. AND APOLOGIZE IF--.

I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ON BUDGET OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO SOME OF THIS MAY HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED ALREADY, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST GOOD TO KIND OF HAMMER ON THE ANSWERS HERE.

ONE, I KNOW ON HERE YOU'VE GOT THE NEW HIGHER STIPEND, DO WE HAVE THE RETAIN STIPEND AS WELL OR IS THAT ROLLED INTO ANOTHER--? THAT'S NOT PRESENTED IN HERE BECAUSE THIS IS GENERAL FUND ONLY AND THAT'LL BE THE ESSER FUNDING.

YES, SIR. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ELIMINATED POSITIONS.

JUST FOR CLARIFICATION ON THAT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS A LOT OF THAT IS KIND OF THE RIGHT SIZING OF STAFF, BUT THROUGH PRIMARILY ATTRITION AND SOME INTERNAL MOVES AS OPPOSED TO ANY KIND OF RIFTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? CORRECT, SIR. I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR.

CORRECT. YEP.

OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT.

FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENTS.

I MEAN, I THINK THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM HERE ON THIS GRAPH IS THE FUND BALANCE AND IT FALLS OFF THE CLIFF, RIGHT? SO OUR TYPICAL REQUIREMENT IS--? AT 25% OF EXPENDITURES IS WHAT WE NORMALLY WANT TO MAINTAIN IN THE FUND BALANCE.

THAT IS WHAT THE RATING AGENCIES LOOK TO.

THAT IS WHAT THE VARIOUS FINANCIAL ASSOCIATIONS, GFOA, ASBO, IT'S WHAT TEA FIRST RATINGS ARE STRUCTURED AROUND IS THAT THREE MONTHS OR 25% OF OPERATIONS.

SO, WALK ME THROUGH THEN ON THAT POINT, WHEN WE GET TO 24-25%, OBVIOUSLY WE DIP BELOW THAT TYPICAL REQUIREMENT OF 25%, AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS AND THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO RISD, EVERY DISTRICT SEEING THIS SAME GLIDE PATH, BASICALLY, BUT KIND OF WALK US THROUGH WHAT'S THE THOUGHT.

WHAT--. YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD TO ME, BUT WHAT ARE WE BANKING ON? WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THERE? FIRST, CAN I ALSO NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE $20 MILLION THAT WE HAVE IN A PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND AS WELL.

THAT IS CORRECT. THIS IS ONLY FUNDING WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.

SO IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LOCAL PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND.

AND-- [COUGH] EXCUSE ME.

SO THIS IS AN ESTIMATE TODAY, IT IS A CURRENT LAW ESTIMATE TODAY.

IT ALSO DOES NOT FACTOR INTO PART OF THE OTHER CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, WHICH REALLY GOES ON TO THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE, IS THINGS THAT WILL NEED TO BE AND WILL BE DISCUSSED AS WE START THE NEXT ROUND OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, CONTINUING THE DISTRICTS EFFORTS TO INCREASE

[00:40:02]

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CONTINUE OR--? OKAY.

CERTAINLY CONTINUING OUR PROCESS TO IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES IN STAFFING, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, MR. POTEET, WE ARE NOT PLANNING IN ANY WAY TO ELIMINATE FILLED POSITIONS.

THERE IS NO REDUCTION IN FORCE IN THIS.

THIS IS ALL TURNOVER THROUGH ATTRITION.

WE, IN THE--.

WE'VE ON AVERAGE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS ACROSS ALL FUNDS, WE HAVE HIRED ABOUT 800 EMPLOYEES A YEAR. SO WE HAVE TURNOVER EVERY YEAR.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE CURRENTLY SITTING ON 300, AND PROBABLY BY TODAY MAYBE 360 VACANCIES.

I'M HOPING WE ELIMINATED A FEW OF THOSE VACANCIES FROM APRIL 15TH NUMBERS, BUT WE STILL HAVE SUBSTANTIAL VACANCIES.

SO THERE HAS BEEN NO DISCUSSION TO HAVE ANY KIND OF REDUCTION IN FORCE OR OTHERWISE TERMINATE EMPLOYEES RELATED TO THIS SAVINGS.

AND THEN FINALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD AND OUR COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO OUR LEGISLATORS TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

YOU KNOW, INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS ALLOW US TO PAY-- MAKE COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION.

CERTAINLY, AS WE DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND I APPRECIATE YOU REMINDING ME, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY INCREASES WE GET ARE WHEN WE HAVE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS. AND SO WHAT ARE THE DISTRICT'S OPTIONS RELATIVE TO INCREASING THAT CAPACITY AND OR CHANGING THE FUNDING FORMULAS TO ADDRESS THIS, YOU KNOW, INFLATION THAT WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IN 20 YEARS OR MORE? SO TO THAT POINT, EXACTLY, THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OR BOTH THE STATE FUNDING EQUATIONS, PLUS THE DEMOGRAPHERS REPORT AND PROJECTIONS THAT WE HAD BACK IN JANUARY THAT ARE KIND OF FEEDING THESE PROJECTIONS AND--.

CORRECT? YES, SIR.

YEP. OKAY.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

BACK IN CASE THERE WERE OTHER QUESTIONS.

[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE]. MS. TIMME? JUST WALK ME THROUGH REAL QUICK.

SO IN 22-23, WE'RE TALKING $13.1 MILLION, RIGHT? IN RAISES? YES. SO THEN IN 23-24, YOU'RE SAYING A 3% AND THAT COMES OUT TO $22 MILLION.

NO, THAT 3%-- THAT $22 MILLION IN 23-24, AND THANK YOU.

I DID NOT CLARIFY THAT EARLIER.

THAT IS THE $13 MILLION FOR THE STRATIFIED RAISES MOVING OVER, PLUS ROUGHLY ANOTHER $9 MILLION FOR THE 3%, AND SO--.

SO YOU'RE NOT PUTTING IT IN REOCCURRING COST, YOU'RE JUST MOVING IT FORWARD AS A RAISE? CORRECT, I DID NOT MOVE IT UP INTO RECURRING COST AT THIS POINT.

I JUST LEFT IT DOWN THERE IN THE [INAUDIBLE]--.

I LEFT RECURRING COST AS JUST THE BASE EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE TODAY INCREASE THE NON-PAYROLL COMPONENT BY 5% A YEAR.

SO THAT IS JUST OUR EXISTING STAFF TO CONTINUE TO EMPLOY THEM AT THEIR EXISTING COMPENSATION.

AND THEN SO $32 MILLION THEN IS JUST ANOTHER 3% ON TOP OF THAT? SO YOU'RE JUST ROLLING THAT FORWARD AND COMPOUNDING IT VERSUS INCLUDING IT INTO THAT RECURRING COST? YES, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS HIGHLIGHTED OUT THAT WE HAD-- THAT I HAD INCLUDED RAISES IN FUTURE YEARS AND THE UNFORTUNATE COMPOUNDING EFFECT OF THAT.

I COULD CERTAINLY PRESENT THIS DIFFERENTLY AND MOVE EACH YEAR'S RAISE INTO THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS RECURRING COST LINE. NO THAT JUST--.

BUT YOU DIDN'T--. OKAY, BUT IF YOU DON'T INCLUDE IT IN RECURRING COSTS, IT ONLY COMPOUNDS ON THE RAISE SIDE, BUT NOT ON THE RECURRING COSTS, SO IT DOESN'T REALLY IMPACT THEN THE END OF BUDGET AT THE END, CORRECT? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I DIDN'T DOUBLE DIP THE [LAUGHTER] THAT'S WHAT--. YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING--.

I WANT TO--. I'M TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE IT IN THERE TWICE.

YES, I'M SORRY.

YES, MA'AM. I DID NOT INCLUDE THE RAISE TWICE.

IT IS ONLY INCLUDED ONCE.

OK.

AND IT WOULD HAVE MADE MORE SENSE IF I HAD HAD THE ROOM TO LIST THE RAISE SEPARATELY SO THAT SO THAT YOU COULD SEE THE 13 CARRYING ACROSS, THEN ADD AN EXTRA ROW UNDER THAT FOR THE 3% IN 23-24 AND CARRY THAT ACROSS.

[00:45:06]

OKAY. ARE WE HAVING QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING OR ARE WE JUST ON THIS PART? CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO CUT THE PRESENTATION SHORT.

ARE WE--? OK. OK.

ALL RIGHT, THAT HELPS ME ON THAT PART FOR RIGHT NOW.

I MAY HAVE SOME. I'M KIND OF JUST LOOKING AROUND AT STUFF.

SO JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THIS PIECE, I APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE INCLUDED THAT COMPRESSION RATE AND THAT WE'VE HONORED OUR TEACHERS WITH THE YEARS OF SERVICE.

SO I'M DEFINITELY APPRECIATING THAT PIECE OF IT.

I'M FLOORED THAT BENEFITS DIDN'T INCREASE.

LET ME JUST SAY THAT RIGHT NOW.

LIKE, I'M--.

I MEAN, KNOCK ME OVER WITH A FEATHER ON THAT ONE, BUT I'M ECSTATIC FOR THAT.

I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING YOU GUYS HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH IN THE PAST, HAVE BEEN VERY COGNIZANT OF ADDRESSING THAT.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT, I APPRECIATE THERE WAS A LOT OF FORETHOUGHT THAT FORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SOME CONSTERNATION THERE.

ALSO TOO, I KNOW THAT--.

WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT PRE-K ON THERE AND THE INFANT CENTER.

THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD LOVE, ESPECIALLY IN JUNE, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S JUST GOOD INFORMATION FOR THE STAFF IF YOU'RE TO COMPARE THE SAVINGS OF WHAT KIDS WOULD [INAUDIBLE]-- WHAT PARENTS WOULD EXPERIENCE IF THEY WERE TO ACCESS OUR PRE-K AND OUR INFANCY VERSUS WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY OR WHAT THEY PROBABLY ARE CURRENTLY PAYING OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

I THINK THAT COST, BENEFIT [INAUDIBLE]--.

LISTEN, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST RAISES I EVER GOT WAS WHEN I DID NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE THINGS ANYMORE.

I THINK THAT THERE'S--. I THINK IT'S WORTH QUANTIFYING THE DIFFERENCE IN PAY THAT PARENTS POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE USING THAT.

SO I HOPE THAT IN JUNE THAT WE CAN BRING THAT PART FORWARD, ESPECIALLY THE AFTER TAX SAVINGS.

I CAN SHARE THAT WE'VE ESTIMATED--.

AGAIN, THERE ARE INNUMEROUS DAYCARE PROVIDERS OUT THERE THAT RANGE IN PRICE, BUT WE HAVE ESTIMATED, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE PRE-K CENTERS, MISS TIMME, THAT WE WOULD BE SAVING OUR EMPLOYEES $7,500.

THEY--. MOST OF OUR TEACHERS, FOR EXAMPLE, USE A DAYCARE FOR NINE MONTHS OUT OF A YEAR, AND WE'RE ESTIMATING A SAVINGS OF $7,500 A YEAR.

AND THAT'S KIND OF A MID RANGE, WHAT THEY WOULD YEAH.

AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT. I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO TOO BEEN STATED THAT PREVIOUS BOARDS HAVE REALLY WANTED US TO STAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT-- OF KIND OF THE PACK THAT WE COMPARE TO FOR HIRING. AND I'M-- I KNOW WE DON'T GET ALL THE WAY THERE, FOR SEVERAL REASONS AND PREVIOUS DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WERE THERE, BUT I KNOW THAT I PERSONALLY WILL CONTINUE TO HOPE THAT WE STAY AGGRESSIVE AND GETTING BACK TO THAT VISION OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK.

AND THAT IS NOT A ONE YEAR FIX.

AND SO I HOPE, TOO, THAT WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS AND WHILE I KNOW YOU ONLY BUILT IN A 3% BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU HAD TO DO FOR THIS SCENARIO.

I'M NOT-- I'M HOPING AS A BOARD THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO INVEST AND BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN GETTING TO THAT ACTUAL MIDPOINT WHERE WE HAD ALWAYS DESIGNED TO BE--. HECK, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE THE LEADER OF THE PACK, ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHERE WE ARE OR THAT WE DON'T HAVE-- WE CANNOT GET THERE AT THIS TIME, BUT I DO HOPE THAT WE WILL STAY AGGRESSIVE IN TRYING TO REWARD OUR TEACHERS AND FINDING WAYS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PAYING OUR STAFF IN A WAY THAT WE CAN COMPENSATE THEM IN A MORE AGGRESSIVE MANNER GOING FORWARD.

AND I'D JUST ADD THAT, 3%, I DIDN'T CLARIFY VERY WELL EARLIER, BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE MINIMUM TARGET RAISE THAT WE TRY TO START THE BUDGET CONVERSATION AT.

CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOVE TO GIVE LARGER RAISES THAN 3% TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, BUT IT'S KIND OF WHERE I LIKE TO-- WHERE WE HAVE-- WHERE I AND A LOT OF OTHER CFOS TRADITIONALLY START THEIR MINIMUM RAISE CONVERSATION.

ABSOLUTELY. AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU HAD TO DO FOR THIS, AND I'M JUST CHALLENGING US AS A BOARD AND YOU GUYS WITH PRESENTATIONS THAT WE BUILD OUT A MODEL THAT GETS US THERE OVER TIME, KNOWING THAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE JUST AS AGGRESSIVE.

BUT THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE UP SOME OF THAT GROUND.

ABSOLUTELY. AND WE PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT TO THE BOARD, I BELIEVE, TWO PRESENTATIONS AGO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO AND WHAT WOULD THE NEXT THREE YEARS OF COMPENSATION NEED TO LOOK LIKE IN ORDER TO GET US TO THE MID RANGE OR MAYBE EVEN SLIGHTLY ABOVE THAT MID RANGE.

AND SO THAT IS OUR TARGET TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT DIRECTION.

THANK YOU.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? MR. EAGER? SO THE PACKAGE ITSELF, I MEAN, IF YOU LIST OUT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER FROM A PACKAGE PERSPECTIVE, A, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IN OUR DISTRICT STOPS AND STARTS WITH OUR TEACHERS

[II. PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION]

[00:50:07]

LET'S JUST PUT IT THIS WAY, IF WE CAN KEEP THEM, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIRING NEW TEACHERS BECAUSE WE KEEP THE ONES WE GOT.

SO THINGS--. YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING OUR SENIOR TEACHERS, OR EXPERIENCED, THAT MAKES A BIG STATEMENT IN THAT ASPECT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PACKAGE, WE'VE GOT BASE INCREASES, WE GOT RAISES, WE'VE GOT STIPENDS, WE HAVE CHILD CARE, WE'VE GOT PRE-K, WE HAVE HEALTH CARE, WE'VE GOT JOB FLEXIBILITY, WE'VE GOT DEGREE ADVANCEMENTS.

I MEAN, I THINK YOU'RE COVERING ALL THE BASES AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DIG DEEP IN THOSE OTHER THINGS, WHAT I CALL LITTLE BIG THINGS, THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES, FINDING AND GIVING BACK TIME TO OUR TEACHERS, ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO, YOU KNOW, I COMMEND AND IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO TO STAY COMPETITIVE IN THE PLACE RIGHT NOW.

NOW, WITH THAT, THE REALITY THAT'S STARING US IN THE FACE IS THE FACT THAT IF WE WANT TO STAY WITHIN A 90 DAY FUND BALANCE, OR 25%, WE'RE GOING TO HIT--.

YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN FUTURE YEARS, BECAUSE IF WE-- THE LEGISLATOR-- LEGISLATIVE IS GOING TO BE MEETING IN 23-24, WE WON'T SEE ANY EFFECT OF THAT, AND IF THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING IN THIS [INAUDIBLE], CAN'T SPEAK TONIGHT, THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT 25-26.

AND SO--.

AND OUR FUND BALANCE, IT-- I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE TO 23-24, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE IN A $45 MILLION A YEAR DEFICIT SPENDING.

SO AGAIN, IT'S ALL IN PROJECTIONS.

IT'S ALL WITH BEST INFORMATION WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO BE COGNITIVE THAT.

THIS YEAR WE HAVE TO DO, WE HAVE TO DO.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING ALL THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION SO THAT WE ARE NOT PUT IN SOME DIFFICULT SITUATIONS IN 24-25, 25- 26.

AND I KNOW THAT--.

I KNOW A NUMBER OF US ARE GOING DOWN TO AUSTIN TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THIS IS MISSION CRITICAL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR OUR ENTIRE EDUCATION SYSTEM. AND SO IT'S MISSION CRITICAL, SO.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN.

THE BOARD, REALLY-- YOU ALL GAVE US A CHARGE IN TERMS OF YOU DID NOT WANT US TO BRING TO YOU JUST A SIMPLE RECOMMENDATION AROUND A RAISE.

YOU REALLY WANTED US TO FIND SOME COMPONENTS THAT MAKE US DIFFERENTIATE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A STARTING SALARY THAT IS AT THE FRONT OF THE PACK, BUT WHAT ARE THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO OUR STAFF THAT SAYS WE VALUE YOU AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO REWARD YOU FOR THAT? THE OTHER COMPONENT THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS IS THAT PIECE, BECAUSE IT IS CLEAR AND AGAIN, EVERY DISTRICT THAT HAS GONE AND SAID WE ARE PUTTING OUR CHIPS ALL IN BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT OUR CURRENT FORECAST IS.

WE ALL BASICALLY SEE THAT SAME YEAR, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT UNITY AROUND OUR CALL IN AUSTIN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME CHANGES THAT ARE MADE TO THE FUNDING FORMULA.

BUT THE OTHER ASSURANCE I WANT TO GIVE THE BOARD IS I DON'T SEE, AND I DON'T THINK ANY MEMBER OF OUR TEAM AT THE HORSESHOE SEES, THAT THIS BUDGET PROCESS STOPS WHEN YOU ALL ADOPT THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE OR ULTIMATELY WHEN YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET IN JUNE.

THIS IS BECOMING A YEAR ROUND INITIATIVE FOR US.

HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE BUDGET AND HOW DO WE GET MORE AGGRESSIVE AT FINDING THOSE EFFICIENCIES, AT FINDING INNOVATIVE WAYS TO RECRUIT AND GET OUR ENROLLMENT BACK TO A LEVEL THAT WILL SUSTAIN THE TYPE OF COMPENSATION THAT WE WANT TO HAVE MOVING FORWARD? SO, AGAIN, WE DON'T--.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE BUDGET YEARS WHERE A LOT OF TIMES WE GET TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AND THEN WE LIKE WE GET TO PUT THAT AWAY, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT FOR, YOU KNOW, HALF A YEAR OR SO.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A CONVERSATION THAT IS AT EVERY ONE OF OUR CABINET AGENDAS.

IT'S AT EVERY ONE OF OUR STAFF MEETINGS, IS HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO INNOVATE?

[00:55:02]

I KNOW WE'VE GOT THE PACKAGE NEXT TO VOTE ON, BUT THIS ALL KIND OF TOUCHES ON THAT TO SOME DEGREE.

BUT WHAT'S OUR PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET, AGAIN, THAT'S TIED TO LABOR AND SALARIES? IT'S ROUGHLY--? 90%. 90%.

SO, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING THE VAST MAJORITY IS TIED TO THESE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS RIGHT HERE.

SO JUST I LIKE HEARING THAT EVERY TIME JUST TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF RELEVANCE TO WHERE THE CONVERSATION, SOME CONTEXT AND WHERE IT'S GOING.

SOMETHING WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER TONIGHT ON INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.

WE DON'T REALIZE THAT TO A DEGREE BASED ON THE FUNDING FORMULA, CORRECT? I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. THAT IS CORRECT.

YES. AND I CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT SLIDE BACK AT A NEXT PRESENTATION, BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

OKAY. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FROM A CONTEXTUAL PERSPECTIVE IS OUT THERE, ALSO.

YOU SAID WE CHARGED-- MRS. BRANUM, YOU SAID WE CHARGED THE STAFF WITH LOOKING AT THIS AND KIND OF LOOKING AT A BIG PACKAGE AND BEING CREATIVE AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX FROM A COMPENSATION LEVEL. I WOULD SAY THIS WAS A PARTNERING EXERCISE BETWEEN STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD.

SO I DON'T THINK ANY ONE OF US TAKES CREDIT FOR COMING UP WITH THAT IDEA.

I THINK WE ALL WERE COGNIZANT ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT, THE SITUATION WE'RE AT, WHERE WE'RE COMING OFF OF TWO YEARS OF CHALLENGES AND WITH STAFF.

SO I THINK THAT EVERYBODY--.

THERE WASN'T ANY KIND OF CONVINCING AROUND THE TABLE OR WITH STAFF OF WHERE WE NEED TO HEAD WITH THIS.

IT WAS ALL FULL BOARD GOING THE SAME DIRECTION.

SO I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL.

I ALSO [INAUDIBLE]--. AND AS WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS AND GONE OVER THESE NUMBERS AND THESE PROJECTIONS AND MODELS, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR TEACHERS.

I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT.

THAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF THIS BUDGET DISCUSSION.

WE ALSO KNOW--.

I MEAN, AND IT'S TIMELY, RIGHT? WE'RE COMING OFF A TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.

I MEAN, THERE'S NO BETTER TIME TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND MAKE A COMMITMENT TO WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THIS DECISION.

I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL.

BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND WE CAN'T BE SCARED, I GUESS.

AND YOU GET SCARED WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND YOU START LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THAT.

WE'VE GOT TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE AND FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE.

WELL, THE BALANCE IS WE'VE GOT TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND TAKE CARE OF STAFF THAT 90% OF THE BUDGET THAT EQUATES TO THAT STAFF.

AND SO I THINK THE CRITICAL POINT IN HERE IS BALANCE AND CREATIVITY.

AND SO WE HAD TO FIND THAT BALANCE.

WE HAD TO BE CREATIVE AND WHAT THAT BUCKET FOR-- CALLED COMPENSATION LOOKS LIKE.

WE COULDN'T JUST TALK, AND I KNOW SOMEBODY ELSE BROUGHT UP TONIGHT, THAT COMPENSATION, THE DOLLAR FIGURES, IS MORE CRITICAL THAN PERHAPS THE CULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT, WE GOT SOME EMAILS ON SOME SCHOOLS WHERE TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS THE BREAK ROOM THAT NEEDED SOME WORK OR THE LIGHTING IN THAT BUILDING. I MEAN, THESE WERE THINGS THAT THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR MORE PAY.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FUND THAT BALANCE AND TAKE CARE OF THAT WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND TRY AND ACHIEVE SOME OF THAT BENEFIT TO THE EMPLOYEES.

SO THAT'S THERE. AND I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THIS.

THERE WAS A I WAS AT A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT WITH MY DAUGHTER LAST WEEKEND, AND ONE OF THE OTHER FATHERS, HE'S THE HEADMASTER, I GUESS, OR THEIR VERSION OF SUPERINTENDENT, ONE OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS LOCALLY.

AND SO WE JUST WE TALKED ALL WEEKEND WHILE OUR DAUGHTERS ARE PLAYING BASKETBALL.

AND SO WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COMPENSATION AND STAFF.

AND IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING BECAUSE HE KIND OF SHOWED HIS CARDS AND THE PAY COMPONENT OF THAT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO WHERE WE ARE.

BUT WHAT HE HAD TO OFFER WERE SOME OF THE SMALLER CLASS SIZE, SOME OF THE TIME, YOU KNOW, TO THESE TEACHERS, IT WAS PART OF THAT CULTURE, THAT ENVIRONMENT.

THOSE WERE THE THINGS THAT HE HAS INTERVIEWED TEACHERS AND HE SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT SOME FROM DISD THAT WHEN HE OFFERED THEM THAT IT WASN'T A PAY JUMP, IT WAS AN ENVIRONMENT, A CULTURE, A WORKING ENVIRONMENT JUMP.

SO, I MEAN, THAT JUST KIND OF CLICKED WITH ME AND I'M LIKE, MAN, THAT, THAT SPEAKS TO THAT BALANCE, THAT SPEAKS TO THAT CREATIVITY IN COMPENSATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.

SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS ALL CLICKING, AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND BECAUSE THIS IS--.

YOU SCARE ME WHEN YOU SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ANNUAL PROCESS ALL YEAR ROUND, I'M LIKE, OH MY GOD.

YOU KNOW, BUT IT DOES, IT HAS TO BE.

AND THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES THAT ARE CHANGING MONTH TO MONTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT IMPACTS THIS.

THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUOUSLY HAVE TO HAVE, AND I'M TOTALLY ON BOARD WITH WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

I KNOW THAT'S THE NEXT ITEM.

BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OVERALL BUDGET, I THINK THAT THAT'S CRITICAL, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PIECE OF IT, AND I APPLAUD THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD AROUND THE BOARD

[01:00:06]

I APPLAUD THE STAFF, ADMINISTRATION FOR THE WORK AND THE HEAVY LIFTING THAT WE'VE DONE THROUGH THIS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN AN ITERATIVE PROCESS AND IT CONTINUES TO BE, AND SO.

ANYWAY, I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THAT, BUT.

THANK YOU, MR. POTEET.

THAT WAS GREAT. ALL RIGHT.

AND SO WE HAVE--.

MRS. BRANUM, IF THERE'S, I GUESS, ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON THIS, AND THEN THE LAST SLIDE WE HAVE IS JUST THE BUDGET CALENDAR, AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ THAT TO YOU.

[LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. GREAT DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK.

THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, FOR YOUR GREAT DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS.

SO OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO CONSIDER THE 2022-2023 EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PLAN.

MRS. BRANUM? ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I AM BRINGING THIS FORWARD AS AN ACTION ITEM IS BECAUSE I FELT COMPELLED THAT IN-- WITH THE NUMBER OF ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT OUR PEER DISTRICTS HAVE SHARED AND HOW IT'S BEEN SO PUBLIC THAT THIS NEEDED TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WAS COMMITTED TO AND THAT WE COULD COMMUNICATE TO THE STAFF THAT THE BOARD HAS APPROVED THIS.

THERE'S NOT A QUESTION.

IT'S NOT.-- WELL, THEY'VE GIVEN US--.

IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD DIRECTIONAL APPROVAL AROUND SOME OF THESE COMPONENTS, BUT THIS REALLY FOR ME WAS OUR ABILITY, OUR STAFF'S ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO, TONIGHT, COMMUNICATE TO STAFF, LOOK WHAT THE BOARD HAS PUT IN PLACE AND YOU CAN BE GUARANTEED THAT THIS WOULD BE THE COMPENSATION FOR 22-23.

SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT MAYBE YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST AND I WANTED TO EXPLAIN MY WHY FOR THAT.

SO WITH THAT, MS. HARRIS, I AM SO PROUD AND I AM SO THANKFUL FOR OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.

I'M THANKFUL FOR OUR PRINCIPALS.

I'M THANKFUL FOR EVERY STAFF MEMBER THIS YEAR THAT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON KIDS.

WE CANNOT HAVE SCHOOL WITHOUT OUR BUS DRIVERS TRANSPORTING 12,000 KIDS.

WE CAN'T HAVE SCHOOL AND OUR KIDS FOCUS ON LEARNING IF WE'RE NOT FEEDING OUR KIDS EVERY DAY.

OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF, ARE INSTRUCTIONAL PARAPROFESSIONALS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR COUNSELORS, OUR LIBRARIANS, OUR CENTRAL STAFF.

THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT OUR CENTRAL TEAM PROVIDES TO TEACHERS, PROVIDES TO PRINCIPALS, IT'S JUST IT'S A SPECIAL, SPECIAL PLACE. AND ON THE HEELS OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS YEAR ALL AROUND, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR, AND SO I THANK OUR STAFF, I THANK OUR LEADERSHIP, I THANK THE BOARD FOR MAKING THIS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AS WE ADOPT THE BUDGET.

SO WITH THAT, I RECOMMEND THE BOARD APPROVE THE 22-23 EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PLAN AS ATTACHED.

THANK YOU, MISS BRANUM. IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. THANK YOU, MISS TIMME.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

THANK YOU, MR. EAGER.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS TIMME.

A SECOND BY MR. EAGER.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT. SO THERE IS NO DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD.

HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION PASSES, FIVE ZERO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COLLEAGUES.

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

[LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT.

SO OUR NEXT INFORMATION ITEM IS A REPORT ON DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AND UPCOMING EVENTS.

YEAH. I'D LIKE TO START OUT THIS EVENING BY THANKING OUR COMMUNITY, NUMBER ONE, FOR COMING OUT TO VOTE IN THE ELECTION THAT OCCURRED ON THIS PAST SATURDAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION, WE WILL BE CANVASING THE RESULTS ON MAY 16TH.

THERE WILL BE A RUNOFF ELECTION FOR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT TWO ON JUNE 18TH.

ONCE AGAIN, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING OUT, EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO CAST A BALLOT IN THIS VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION CYCLE. DO ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE UPDATES?

[01:05:02]

SO WE WILL START OUT WITH OUR RHS MULTICULTURAL NIGHT AND I BELIEVE, MISS TIMME, DID YOU-- WERE YOU IN ATTENDANCE? EAGER. ALL RIGHTY. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL GO WITH MR. EAGER.

I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE RHS MULTICULTURAL NIGHT AND IT WAS-- MAN, IT WAS FUN.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'D SAID THAT I WAS GOING TO BE OUT THERE DANCING TO A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE DANCE, I WOULD HAVE--.

YEAH, I KNOW. IT'S LIKE, WHAT? AND IT WAS REALLY A LOT OF FUN FOR OUR KIDS, SEEING ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, AND IT WAS JUST GREAT AND IT WAS GREAT USE OF THE MAC IS ANOTHER THING TOO.

AND SO IT WAS MY PLEASURE AND I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUE WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.

[INAUDIBLE], THAT WAS--. I MEAN, YOU SAID IT ALL.

I THINK IT WAS REALLY, REALLY FUN.

I THINK WHAT I LIKED IS THAT IT WAS A STUDENT LED, IT WAS STUDENT ORGANIZED, IT WAS EVERYTHING WAS STUDENTS.

AND IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL TO SEE.

SO I ENJOYED IT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. AND SO, MS. RENTERÍA, SINCE WE STILL HAVE YOU.

GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT OUR RICHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD PARADE [LAUGHTER] THAT YOU AND I ATTENDED.

YEAH, THAT WAS FUN SEEING REGINA AND I ON THE-- I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU CALL THAT RIDE, BUT--.

WE [INAUDIBLE] JEEP.

OH, RIDE. RIDE.

THE RIDE, YOU KNOW.

YEAH. SO RICHLAND PARK IS, THAT'S MY COMMUNITY, SO IT WAS GREAT.

THEY HAVE A LITTLE SPRING FLING, AND SO IT HAD A LOT OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THE CITY THERE.

OUR ONE AND ONLY AWESOME PRESIDENT WAS THERE AND IT WAS GREAT.

IT WAS GREAT TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND IT WAS JUST TO CELEBRATE AS WE GO INTO THE SPRING, AND IT'S JUST A COMMUNITY EVENT THAT THEY HAVE EVERY YEAR.

AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.

SO IT WAS NICE TO BE THERE WITH REGINA, MS. HARRIS, AND BE AMONG THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF RICHARDSON, SO.

THANK YOU. AND DEBBIE, MYSELF AND MEGAN HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE RAABSE MEETING.

SO, MEGAN, CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE US A LITTLE UPDATE ON THAT? YEAH, IT WAS A GREAT MEETING.

I APPRECIATE THE INVITE TO THAT.

DR. SPILLER LED THE WAY FOR US AND DID A GREAT JOB, LOTS OF CONTRIBUTIONS FROM EVERYBODY WHO WAS IN THE ROOM.

IT WAS JUST SUCH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME, I BELIEVE, IN TWO YEARS.

IS THAT RIGHT, DR. SPILLER, THAT THEY'D HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TOGETHER? THEY WERE ABLE TO REVIEW THE THE NATIONAL BRANCH.

THEY WERE ABLE TO TO REVIEW THE STATE ONE, AND THEN ALSO TO GIVE US AN UPDATE AS TO HOW OUR LOCAL BRANCH FIT INTO THAT.

AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF LAUGHTER, A LOT OF SMILING FACES GETTING TO SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN.

AND IT WAS A GREAT COLLABORATION ON HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER, THEY CAN SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT.

YES, IT WAS A GREAT MEETING.

I-- I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT I THINK MRS. BRANUM DID A GREAT JOB TOO.

SHE WAS THERE PRESENTING AND YES, MS. BRANUM, YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.

MY APOLOGIES.

I MEANT THAT, AND I THOUGHT THAT [LAUGHTER].

SHE DID DO A GREAT JOB.

MR. POTEET, YOU ATTENDED THE LAKE HIGHLANDS ROTC, JROTC? I DID. THERE WAS A PASS REVIEW AND A CHANGE OF COMMAND OF THE LAKE HIGHLANDS JROTC UNIT, AND I THINK THEY HAD 100 AND I FORGET WHAT THE NUMBER WAS, 140, MAYBE SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT STUDENT, NUMBER OF STUDENTS INVOLVED.

IT WAS GREAT. I MEAN, BEING A FORMER MILITARY GUY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT WAS KIND OF--.

I WAS SITTING THERE WITH MISS BRANUM TRYING TO GIVE HER-- KIND OF TELL HER WHAT WAS LEGIT AND WHAT WAS NOT AND WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF I HAD TO TAKE MYSELF BACK AND TRY AND DECIPHER IT.

I ENJOYED--. WE HAD A BIG CONTINGENT, ONE, WE PROBABLY HAD 100 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE WATCHING PARENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS, BUT THEN WE HAD A BIG CONTINGENT OF VETERANS THERE FROM VFW, AMERICAN LEGION, PURPLE HEART SOCIETY, WHICH WAS REALLY COOL.

AND SO IT WAS MY FIRST INTERACTION WITH THEM, BUT I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PEARCE AND FOREST MEADOW, BUT USING THE MAC, I MEAN, THAT WAS MY SECOND IN A WEEK.

WE HAD THE STAFF AWARD CEREMONY A WEEK PRIOR IN THE RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL MAC AND I MEAN, IT WAS GREAT.

IT WAS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT, AND JUST BEING A PART OF THAT.

I MEAN, SEEING HOW IT CAN BE USED OUTSIDE OF SPORTS AND BAND AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT WAS GREAT.

SO THANK YOU.

AND SPEAKING OF THE MAC, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO USE THE RHS MAC FOR THE NIGHT WITH THE RISD STARS, SO I THINK

[01:10:06]

MS. RENTERÍA YOU WANT TO KIND OF BRING US UP TO DATE ON THAT ONE? NO, THAT WAS GREAT. THAT WAS A GREAT NIGHT.

DR. GOODSON AND MS. BRANUM DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AS THE MCS.

THEY LOOK SO CUTE IN THEIR MATCHING LITTLE SEQUINS JACKETS.

NO, IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT TO REALLY JUST HIGHLIGHT THE AWESOME PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE, THE EMPLOYEES, OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF THAT WE HAVE.

IT'S, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST A GREAT NIGHT TO ACKNOWLEDGE.

I THINK THEY DO THE--.

FIRST OF ALL, THEY DO THE-- THEY RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER OF YEARS.

IS THAT RIGHT, MR. GOODSON? THE NUMBER OF YEARS ON WAS IT FIVE, TEN AND ALL THE WAY UP? WE HAD A 50 YEAR--.

RIGHT? WE CELEBRATED A 50 YEAR TEACHER AT TEACHING AND--.

BUT IT WAS GREAT TO BE THERE.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAD GREAT FOOD, GREAT ENTERTAINMENT.

WE HAD EVERYTHING.

JUST EVERYBODY, I MEAN, I KNOW I'M FORGETTING NAMES OF EVERYBODY WHO PUT THAT TOGETHER.

IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.

SO IT WAS JUST GREAT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE AWESOME PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR OUR DISTRICT WHO ARE SO COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

IT WAS GREAT. AND AGAIN, ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO PUT OUR MACS TO USE.

I MEAN, THEY WERE ABLE TO TURN THAT MAC AROUND AND MAKE IT LOOK TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

OH MY GOSH. IT WAS FABULOUS.

THANK YOU MELISSA. THEY DID.

YES.

MS. HELLER, YES. YEP.

NURSE OF THE YEAR, MR. EAGER? YOU DIDN'T ATTEND? OH, YOU WERE THERE? THAT WAS GREAT. I WAS ABLE TO GO TO--.

WAS IT GREEN--? I ALMOST FORGOT. AND I GOT TO BE WITH THE AWESOME STAFF.

I SEE SOME AWESOME PEOPLE OUT THERE TOO THAT WERE THERE TOO.

WE SECRETLY MET IN THE SIDE AND THEY WERE SO ORGANIZED THEY HAD A POSTER AND THEY HAD FLOWERS.

AND IN SPITE OF THE WIND WE HAD THAT DAY, THEIR BEAUTIFUL POSTER STAYED UP AND IT WAS GREAT.

THEY SURPRISED--. I--.

FORGIVE ME THAT I FORGOT THE NAME OF OUR AWESOME NURSE.

WHO--.

PATTY STEWART. THANK YOU.

THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. YEAH. PATTY STEWART.

AND SO SHE CAME OUT.

IT WAS GREAT TO CELEBRATE HER AND-- MISS JONES, 26 YEARS, RIGHT? IN THE SAME--? RIGHT, IN THE SAME SCHOOL.

RIGHT. BUT IT WAS GREAT.

IT WAS GREAT TO BE THERE AND JUST CELEBRATE, AGAIN, ANOTHER AWESOME PERSON WORKING FOR OUR DISTRICT.

AND ME AND MR. EAGER WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE TASB MEETING.

YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT ONE IN ARLINGTON? IT WAS--. THAT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

SO I WAS--. THAT WAS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART JUST BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE--.

YOU KNOW, I'LL LET YOU DESCRIBE THAT.

I JUST I WAS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE WHOLE PRE-K, YOU KNOW, THE PRE-K CENTER.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.

I MEAN, IT IS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR OUR PRE-K STUDENTS.

THE FACILITIES WERE JUST ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

THEY HAD ROOMS THAT WERE DEVOTED TO A SPECIFIC TOPIC AND JUST THE ESTHETICS OF THAT BUILDING WERE JUST AWESOME. SO WE HAD A GREAT TIME THERE.

SO I WOULD REALLY LOVE FOR RISD TO ONE DAY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT WAS GREAT.

I LOVED IT. HOW ABOUT YOU? YEAH, WE JUST HAD THE CHANCE--.

IT WAS A MANSFIELD PRE-K CENTER AND THEY HAD DEDICATED ROOMS FOR [INAUDIBLE], YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS TO INTERACT AND UNDERSTAND.

AND I HATE TO SAY IT BUT US ADULTS WERE HAVING A LOT OF FUN PLAYING IN THERE TOO.

YES, YES.

WE HAD A GREAT TIME. SO IT WAS GREAT.

AND IT WAS VERY--. THEY WERE VERY WELCOMING.

MANSFIELD WAS VERY PROUD TO SHOWCASE THAT TO A NUMBER OF OTHER BOARD MEMBERS IN THE REGION.

YEP. YEP.

AND THEN I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE PTA OFFICER INSTALLATION OVER AT RHS HIGH SCHOOL.

LOVE TO JUST KIND OF STEP BACK INTO THOSE HALLS WHERE IT ALL STARTED FOR ME, KIND OF, BUT THAT WAS GREAT, SO THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT THING.

DEBBIE, I THINK YOU ATTENDED THE AVID CELEBRATION? YES, THAT'S RIGHT. MR. EAGER DID, TOO, RIGHT? GO AHEAD. NO, GO AHEAD. IT WAS SO GOOD.

YEAH, IT WAS GREAT. YEAH.

IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL OUR AVID STUDENTS AND SO EXCITED ON THAT.

AND $10 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS.

TOTAL, $10 MILLION.

I MEAN, THESE KIDS WERE AMAZING AND--.

YEAH, [INAUDIBLE] BEEN--.

I WAS GRATEFUL AND EXCITED TO HAVE A CHANCE TO SHARE ALL THEIR EXCITEMENT WITH THEM AND--.

RIGHT. IT WAS GREAT.

YEAH, DITTO. I MEAN, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE ALL THE FEEDERS, THEY WERE ALL DRESSED IN THEIR SCHOOL COLORS AND THEY WERE ALL NOT ONLY SUPPORTING

[01:15:02]

WHETHER, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PEARCE KIDS CHEERING FOR THE RHS AND VICE VERSA, LAKE HIGHLANDS FOR BERKNER, WHOEVER.

BUT ALSO GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE TEACHERS, OUR AWESOME DIRECTOR, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE SAD TO SEE HER GO MS. SWIM.

JUST PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER.

PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER. THE KIDS WERE HAVING A BLAST AND IT WAS JUST REALLY, REALLY AWESOME.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THAT.

AND OF COURSE, MR. POTEET, STARS TEACHERS.

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THAT I WAS GOING TO JUMP SO, AND I GUESS WE'RE SPEAKING TO THOSE OF US THAT USUALLY TALK RIGHT HERE ANYWAY, BUT ANYBODY WATCHING, SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR IN THE DISTRICT, BUT BEING ON THAT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN AWESOME.

AND OVER THE LAST WEEK, TWO WEEKS, WE JUMPED ON A BUS, MISS BRANUM WAS THERE, OUR COMMITTEE WAS THERE, AND WE WENT TO SCHOOL TO SCHOOL TO GO SURPRISE THE EIGHT TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FOUR SECONDARY, FOUR ELEMENTARY.

AND WE HAD THE BERKNER DRUM LINE.

WE HAD JJ PEARCE I THINK DRUM LINE OVER THERE.

BUT THE BERKNER ONE-- [INAUDIBLE].

THE BERKNER ONE FOLLOWED US TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND SO WE'D COME IN THE DOOR AND THE DRUM LINE STARTS PLAYING.

WE'RE GOING DOWN THE HALL, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING OUT THEIR CLASSROOMS. AND I MEAN, IT WAS AWESOME.

AND THEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WE PRESENTED FOOD, YOU KNOW, SOME CAKES, AND THEN THEY EACH GOT A $1,000 CHECK FROM THE FOUNDATION AND WE HAD THE BIG CHECK, YOU KNOW, AND SO THE KIDS, SEEING THEM SEE A BIG CHECK LIKE THAT AND THEIR TEACHERS AND THEN GET PICTURES WITH THEM.

I MEAN, IT WAS AWESOME, AND SO.

SO ANYWAY, WE'LL BE IDENTIFYING, I GUESS, A SECONDARY AND AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR TO MOVE UP TOWARDS REGION 10 COMPETITION.

AND IT'LL BE ANNOUNCED FRIDAY NIGHT.

FRIDAY NIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT.

SO ANYWAY, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

IT WAS A TIME COMMITMENT, BUT IT WAS WORTH EVERY MINUTE, SO.

DEFINITELY WORTH IT. AND JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY, I KNOW OUR STRATEGY ENGAGEMENT TEAM HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT, BUT FROM LAKE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY, DAWN BIRD, TIFFANY BUNCH FROM APOLLO JUNIOR HIGH, STEPHANIE CAMACHO FOR SPRING RIDGE, NIKKI CLARK FROM RHS, MARCY DALE FROM PRAIRIE CREEK, PAIGE [INAUDIBLE]-- . I CAN NEVER SAY HER LAST NAME.

[INAUDIBLE]. THAT'S RIGHT.

[III. CONSENT / CONFIRMATION AGENDA ITEMS]

OH. FORREST MEADOW JUNIOR HIGH.

MS. RANGEL FROM HAMILTON PARK PACESETTER MAGNET AND JOE SAWYER FROM PEARCE HIGH SCHOOL.

SO EACH OF THEIR REACTIONS WAS SO GENUINE AND AUTHENTIC TO WHO THEY ARE AS A PERSON.

BUT THE MOST SPECIAL THING THAT YOU CAN NEVER RECREATE IS TO SEE THE REACTION OF THE STUDENTS AND TO SEE JUST THEIR LOVE AND ADMIRATION FOR THEIR TEACHER. IT WAS PRICELESS.

IT WAS EVERYTHING. YES.

YES, YES.

I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE STARS COMMITTEE LAST YEAR, SO I DO REMEMBER IT.

I LOVED IT. IT WAS AWESOME.

MISS TIMME AND I WERE ON THE GRADUATE PROFILE DESIGN TEAM LAST WEEK.

YOU WANT TO KIND OF GIVE US A LITTLE BRIEFING ON THAT REAL QUICK? YEAH, IT WAS--.

WE WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TAKING THE LARGER TOWN HALL STYLE PIECES OF THE GRADUATE PROFILE AND

[IV.A. Consider Gifts]

AND WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS AND HEARD LOTS OF POINTS OF VIEW AND REALLY GOT TO TALK THROUGH SOME THINGS.

AND SO IT WAS--. I MEAN, IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR OTHER PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVE.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY THAT WAS IN MY GROUP AND THE GROUPS THAT I WORKED WITH AND I--.

THE GROUPS THAT I SAW ACROSS THE ROOM THAT MAYBE I DIDN'T HAVE DIRECT CONVERSATIONS WITH WERE REALLY ENGAGED IN WE HOW CAN WE BEST IDENTIFY OUR GRADUATE PROFILE SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNING OUR RESOURCES WITH EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT FOR THOSE STUDENTS? AND IT WAS JUST SUCH A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE THAT EVERYBODY TOOK, EVEN IF WE THOUGHT GETTING THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

AND IT WAS THE START OF MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL GET US TO THE END.

AND SO I WAS THANKFUL TO BE A PART OF THAT.

AND I WILL SAY THAT THE STUDENTS THAT WERE THERE THAT ARE PART OF THOSE TEAMS ARE ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

I MEAN, THEY BROUGHT A LOT OF VALUE TO THE TABLES, SO I WAS JUST VERY IMPRESSED.

SO, YES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND MS. RENTERÍA, YOU PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE ON THE SPANISH SPELLING BEE.

I'M SO GLAD YOU REMEMBER ALL THESE THINGS, MS. HARRIS, BECAUSE-- [LAUGHTER] I'M LIKE, THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT WAS AMAZING.

MS. CAROLINA ARMSTRONG DID A GREAT JOB.

I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S STILL HERE.

SHE WAS HERE EARLIER.

THEY ORGANIZED THE VERY FIRST SPANISH SPELLING BEE.

THE STUDENTS DID PHENOMENAL.

I WAS THERE WITH CAROLINA ARMSTRONG AND SOME OTHER AWESOME LADIES.

[IV.B. School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Presentation]

I FORGOT WHO THE OTHER JUDGE WAS, BUT WE WERE JUDGES THERE AND I LEARNED A LOT, AND IT WAS JUST GREAT TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE AND HAVE A LOVE OF

[01:20:01]

SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.

WE SAW HER HERE TODAY AND TO SEE THE PARENTS THAT WERE SO EXCITED AND SO PROUD, MRS. BRANUM WAS THERE AND I WAS VERY, VERY HONORED TO BE A JUDGE AND I CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR.

IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS FANTASTIC.

YEAH. I THINK MS. BRANUM AND I WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SIXTH GRADE SIGNING DAY.

I SIGN DAY.

THOSE ARE ALWAYS FUN. THIS IS WHAT OUR SECOND YEAR? SECOND YEAR. SO THE SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS MAKE A COMMITMENT AND THEY ALL COME IN AND THEY SIGN A LITTLE CERTIFICATE SO THAT WHEN THEY GRADUATE, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO REFER BACK TO THAT AND KNOW WHAT THEIR COMMITMENT WAS.

SO THAT WAS SUPER FANTASTIC FOR ALL OF US TO SEE.

SO DEFINITELY ENJOYED THAT.

AND I THINK MOST OF US WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE BERKNER HIGH SCHOOL AND RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL TOP TEN BREAKFAST/LUNCH, SO THAT WAS SUPER FANTASTIC AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT FOR THAT.

MS. HARRIS, CAN I ADD JUST ONE THING FOR THAT? SURE. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT A TOP TEN LUNCH IS EVERY CHILD BRINGS THEIR FAVORITE TEACHER AND TALKS ABOUT HOW THEY WERE IMPACTFUL AND WHY THEY WERE THEIR FAVORITE TEACHER.

I WOULD LOVE AND HOPE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WOULD ALSO DO THAT.

IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE TOP TEN, IF YOU HAD A TEACHER IN RICHARDSON OR ANYWHERE THAT WAS IMPACTFUL TO YOU, IF YOU WOULD SHARE WHY THEY WERE IF YOU'RE A GRADUATING SENIOR, I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT THOSE WORDS MEAN TO TEACHERS WHEN THEY HEAR THAT.

IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL AND MOST THOUGHTFUL THINGS YOU CAN DO IS TO TELL SOMEBODY WHO INFLUENCED YOU AS A TEACHER OR AS A STAFF MEMBER WHY BEFORE YOU GRADUATE? AND DON'T FORGET, TOMORROW AT 7:30 AM, LAKE HIGHLANDS IS HAVING THEIR TOP TEN BREAKFAST.

I LOVE THOSE SIGNING DAYS.

WHAT IS THEIR GRADUATING CLASS? BECAUSE THEY WEAR THEIR T-SHIRTS. WHAT IS IT? THEY WERE THERE 2028.

2028.

2028. I'M SURE MR. POTEET WILL STILL BE HERE BY THEN TOO.

[LAUGHTER] AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE MOST IMPORTANT, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND WAS THE COUNCIL OF PTA'S LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS ALSO THEIR SCHOLARSHIP MEETING AND THEIR RECOGNITION MEETING.

AND OUR VERY OWN MS. TABITHA BRANUM ACTUALLY RECEIVED THE NATIONAL PTA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, SO VERY WELL DESERVED. [APPLAUSE] WE THANK YOU.

WE THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT THEY DID IN THE DISTRICT? WE WERE SUPER BUSY.

IT IS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

WE WERE EXTREMELY BUSY AND IT WON'T STOP THERE.

I'M SURE WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR AND END IT UP WITH GRADUATION.

ALL RIGHT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF FOR STAYING SO LATE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAYING WITH US TONIGHT AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.

THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE TO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY SECTION; 551.074 PERSONNEL INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION; AND SECTION 551.074 PERSONNEL DISCUSSION WITH SEARCH FIRM AND MATTERS RELATED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.

YEAH. YEAH. THAT'S IT.

THE BOARD IS RETURNING TO OPEN SESSION AT 12:23 AM, MAY 10TH.

THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 12:23, MAY 10TH-- AM.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.