[00:00:02] GOOD EVENING IT IS 5:01 I CALL TO ORDER THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2024. I DECLARE THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT AND WE WILL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA AS PRINTED. PLEASE EVERYONE STAND. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. SAY YOUR NAME REAL QUICK AND WHAT SCHOOL YOU GO TO. MY NAME IS KYNDALL CHILDRESS, AND I GO TO BUSSEY MIDDLE SCHOOL [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU KYNDALL. [III. Public Forum] WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR NEXT ITEM. ITEM THREE PUBLIC FORUM. I DO HAVE ONE CARD FOR TRACEY BIRCHFIELD, 608 LOCKWOOD GARLAND, TEXAS. THIS IS THE COUNCIL OF PTA. HI. GOOD EVENING, BOARD PRESIDENT SELDERS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR. LOPEZ. MY NAME IS TRACEY BIRCHFIELD, AND NICOLE SCOTT AND I ARE HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE GARLAND ISD COUNCIL PTAS. WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE GARLAND ISD PTAS. IN JULY, WE WERE PROUD TO HAVE 102 GARLAND ISD PTA MEMBERS, INCLUDING MR. SELDERS, MRS. GRIFFIN, AND MISS STANLEY JOIN US AT TEXAS PTAS LAUNCH. DURING THIS EVENT, WALNUT GLEN TEACHER ANNA GARCIA RECEIVED TEXAS PTA ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD. WE BEGAN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR WITH 63 PTAS IN GARLAND ISD, AND AS OF THIS WEEK, THERE ARE 4878 PTA MEMBERS, WITH 20 LOCAL PTAS ACHIEVING THE HEAD START MEMBERSHIP AWARD FOR REACHING 75% OF LAST YEAR'S MEMBERSHIP WITHIN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF SCHOOL. WE'RE EXCITED THAT THE TWO SCHOOLS THAT DID NOT HAVE PTAS IN AUGUST HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS TO BRING PTA BACK TO THEIR CAMPUSES, AND WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT BY NOVEMBER 1ST, WE WILL HAVE 65 PTAS IN THE DISTRICT. COUNCIL PTA HAS A GOAL OF JOINING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN ALLEN, RICHARDSON, AND PLANO AND EARNING THE COUNCIL GOLDEN APPLE MEMBERSHIP AWARD. WE ARE ASKING YOU, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LEADERSHIP TEAM, TO JOIN AT LEAST FIVE PTAS IN GARLAND BY OCTOBER 31ST TO HELP US ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. THIS SATURDAY, WE WILL JOIN WITH WYLIE, ALLEN, PLANO, RICHARDSON COUNCIL PTAS TO HOST THE NORTH TEXAS PTA PICNIC, A JOINT EVENT FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AS THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION SESSION CONVENES IN JANUARY WE ARE LOOKING AHEAD TO FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025, WHEN GARLAND ISD STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND EDUCATORS JOIN PTA MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO RALLY ON THE CAPITOL STEPS AND MEET WITH LEGISLATORS WITH ONE GOAL IN MIND TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD'S POTENTIAL IS A REALITY. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR GARLAND ISD PTAS THIS YEAR AND APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO OUR ITEM NUMBER FOUR INFORMATION ITEMS GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO RECOGNIZE GOING THE EXTRA MILE RECIPIENT BRUNO RUIZ. [IV.A. Going the Extra Mile (GEMs)] MR. WHEELER. PRESIDENT SELDERS BOARD OF TRUSTEES DR. LOPEZ, I WILL WARN YOU, WE DO HAVE A SUPERHERO HERE TONIGHT. SO HERE IS HIS STORY. TONIGHT, WE GATHER TO HONOR BRUNO RUIZ RUIZ, A DEDICATED MEMBER OF OUR GISD GROUND GROUNDSKEEPING TEAM, WHO IS THE RECIPIENT OF THIS MONTH'S GOING THE EXTRA MILE AWARD. THE GISD GEM RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEES FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR REGULAR DUTIES. BRUNO'S QUICK THINKING AND HEARTFELT COMPASSION WERE ON FULL DISPLAY WHEN HE SPOTTED A STUDENT HEADING TOWARDS A BUSY ROAD OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL. WITHOUT A MOMENT'S HESITATION, BRUNO SPRANG INTO ACTION, CHASING AFTER THE STUDENT AND SAFELY GUIDING HIM BACK TO SCHOOL. [00:05:01] HIS SWIFT ACTIONS NOT ONLY AVERTED A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, BUT ALSO UNDERSCORED HIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS, PROVIDING ALL OF US WITH A SENSE OF REASSURANCE THAT EVERYONE IS LOOKING OUT FOR OUR CHILDREN. BRUNO'S SELFLESSNESS AND DEDICATION ARE SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE CORE VALUES OF GARLAND ISD. HE EMBODIES THE POWER OF CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT CAN MAKE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS. HIS ACTIONS SERVE AS A POWERFUL REMINDER THAT TRUE LEADERSHIP OFTEN EMERGES FROM THOSE WHO ACT WITH COURAGE AND COMPASSION IN CRITICAL MOMENTS, LEAVING US ALL FEELING PROUD AND INSPIRED. PLEASE JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING BRUNO, A TRUE EMBODIMENT OF GOING THE EXTRA MILE FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE AND HIS DEEP COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. THANK YOU, BRUNO, FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN GARLAND ISD [APPLAUSE]. MIC] CONGRATULATIONS, BRUNO. THANK YOU. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM B RECEIVE THE INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT MARK QUINN. [IV.B. Receive Intruder Detection Audit Report - Mark Quinn] GOOD EVENING, DR. LOPEZ, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. THE TOP PRIORITY OF GARLAND ISD AND THE STATE OF TEXAS IS KEEPING STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE EVERY DAY. THE TEA AND REGION TEN RECENTLY CONDUCTED AN INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT AT ONE OR MORE OF OUR CAMPUSES. THE AUDITS TEST WHETHER CAMPUS IS ACCESSIBLE TO AN UNAUTHORIZED INDIVIDUAL. THIS AUDIT SEEKS TO HELP DISTRICTS IDENTIFY HOW CAMPUSES CAN IMPROVE SAFETY FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF, SUCH AS ENSURING EXTERIOR DOORS ARE LOCKED. THE AUDIT PROVIDES US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A SAFER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF. WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR DISTRICT SCHOOLS SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR TRAINING, WE'RE TRAINING ALL OUR STAFF AND SECURING OUR DOORS FOR THE PROTECTION OF EVERYONE AT OUR CAMPUSES. THE SUPPORT FROM THE STATE IN CONDUCTING THE INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY ACTIONS WE ARE TAKING TO ENSURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE. WE KNOW THAT THIS WORK DOES NOT END AND WE APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S SUPPORT. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE LIKELY VERY INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS OF THE AUDIT RESULTS. HOWEVER, IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE DO NOT SHARE THIS INFORMATION TO THE BROADER PUBLIC AS IT COULD LEAD TO COMPROMISING IMPORTANT CAMPUS SECURITY INFORMATION. SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WITH THE SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE. GARLAND ISD IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A SAFE AND SECURE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. QUINN. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM FIVE, DISCUSSION ITEMS, WHERE WE RECEIVE TRUSTEES REPORT FOR EITHER TRUSTEE ATTENDANCE AT RECENT DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, OR ANNOUNCEMENT OF [V.A. Trustees' Report] UPCOMING DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY DISTRICT STAFF AND STUDENTS, OR RECOGNITION OF NEW PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL ACTIVITIES, AND WE WILL START THIS EVENING TO MY RIGHT WITH MISS GRIFFIN. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SELDERS. YOU KNOW, ACTS OF KINDNESS IS SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO DO, AND WHEN WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF ACTS OF KINDNESS, IT IS INSPIRING IT IS ENCOURAGING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SHARE THAT I HAVE BEEN A RECIPIENT OF AN ACT OF KINDNESS. A STUDENT IN GISD FOUND MY CREDIT CARD ON THE PARKING LOT AND TURNED IT IN. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT STUDENT IT WAS OR WHAT SCHOOL, BUT I AM INDEED GRATEFUL THAT THESE ARE THE KINDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE ARE REARING IN THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND IF THAT PERSON WANTS TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES PLEASE CALL MISS HOGAN AND SHE WILL GET THE INFORMATION TO ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MISS GRIFFIN. MR. MILLER, HOW MUCH IS THE REWARD? [00:10:02] I WAS GOING TO COME AND NEGOTIATE AN AMOUNT FROM YOUR BANK ON TOMORROW. CAN I DO THAT? OKAY. 9 A.M.. WE'RE ALWAYS. WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HEAR GOOD STORIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M GOING TO BE REAL BRIEF. REALLY, ALL I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS THE UPCOMING OCTOBER 12TH WILLS OF HOPE CAR SHOW. THAT HAS A LOT OF STUDENT INVOLVEMENT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL THINGS. OUR VERY OWN JASON WHEELER HAS AGREED TO BE OUR EMCEE OF THE EVENT, SO THANK YOU, JASON, AND HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO GET TO PERFORM DURING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE CAR SHOW THAT WILL INCLUDE WE'RE GOING TO KICK IT OFF WITH THE JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL DRUMLINE THAT WILL START OFF THE WHOLE EVENT, WHICH IS ALWAYS A VERY LOUD AND PROUD MOMENT. WE REALLY LOVE TO HAVE THEM THERE. THE NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL, ONE OF THE I THINK IT'S A STEP TEAM OR THE DANCE TEAM VERY RENOWNED TEAM WILL BE THERE. WE'LL HAVE THE AUSTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL JAZZ BAND, AND THEN THERE'LL BE A COUPLE OF OTHER MUSICAL PERFORMERS. WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT THAT WILL BE SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, AND WE WILL HAVE A TON OF THINGS THAT WILL FEATURE KIDS ALL THROUGH THE CAR SHOW. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO PUT THIS ON. IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EVENT. I'VE BEEN PROMISED BY OUR SUPERINTENDENT THAT THE WEATHER WILL BE PERFECT. HE'S GOT A CREW OUT WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW, SO EVERYTHING WILL BE GREAT. Y'ALL COME SEE US DOWNTOWN GARLAND ON THE 12TH OF OCTOBER FROM 10 TO 2. WE'LL BE HAVING A REALLY GOOD CAR SHOW AND A LOT OF VERY TALENTED KIDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MILLER. MR. GLICK. THANK YOU, SIR. SO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WAS THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT GIVEN BY DR. LOPEZ, YOURSELF AND MR. BEACH THERE WITH MYSELF. I GOT SO MANY COMPLIMENTS FOR HOW FORTHRIGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAD GONE AHEAD AND RELEASED OUR RESULTS WHEN OTHERS HAVEN'T. WE NOW KNOW THAT NO ONE WILL BE ACTUALLY GETTING RESULTS UNTIL THE LAWSUIT IS SETTLED, IF IT'S SETTLED IN FEBRUARY. THEY WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE PROJECTS GOING ON, SO YEAH, I GOT A LOT OF VERY FAVORABLE COMMENTS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, SIR. MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY, TEAM GISD FINISHED FIRST IN THE GARLAND CHAMBER. THAT WAS MR. BEACH, MR. JOHNSON, MYSELF, AND OF COURSE, THE SUPERINTENDENT. WE WERE FIRST OUT OF 27 TEAMS, SO THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD, AND I THINK THE BIGGEST SURPRISE FOR ME WAS HOW WELL THE SUPERINTENDENT READ OUR PUTTS. I WOULD THINK KIND OF THE QUALITY OF MAYBE TIGER WOODS AND READING THE PUTTS. WE ASKED HIM TO GO FIRST AND EVERY PUTT HE READ WAS WHERE WERE THE PUTTS WERE GOING. SO THAT WAS PRETTY EXCITING. A WEEK LATER, MR. BEACH AND I REPRESENTED GISD IN THEIR ROWLETT CHAMBER TOURNAMENT AND WE FINISHED THIRD, NOT TOO BAD OUT OF 25 TEAMS. THE ROWLETT CHAMBER FOUNDATION BOARD MET, MISS BLAKEY HAD TALKED TO US AT THE CHAMBER LEVEL ABOUT NEEDING SOME GRANT MONEY, AND WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO ASSIST HER WITH FUNDS FROM THE CHAMBER FOUNDATION. SO THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER TOPIC THAT I STARTED TALKING ABOUT LAST MONTH, BECAUSE I'M ON THE SAFETY COMMITTEE. WE KNOW THERE WAS A SHOOTING SCHOOL SHOOTING IN GEORGIA. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE. LAST MONTH, I TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAD ADDED THE BULLET RESISTANT FILM NOT ONLY WHERE WE EXPECTED TO, BUT OUR SAFETY EXPERTS ASKED US TO PUT IT IN OTHER AREAS, WHICH WE'VE NOW DONE. THE THING THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF TODAY IS TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE NOW HAVE FULL COVERAGE AT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. SO WE ORIGINALLY HAD 32 SROS FROM ROWLETT, SACHSE AND GARLAND. WE NOW HAVE 45 SROS, AND WE'VE ADDED TO THAT 43 ARMED SECURITY OFFICERS. SO EVERY ONE OF OUR CAMPUSES IS NOW COVERED. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE STATE REQUIRES US TO GIVE 16 HOURS OF TRAINING TO ARMED SECURITY OFFICERS. WE GIVE THEM 60 HOURS. SO WE'VE GONE WELL ABOVE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE, AND MOST OF THEM ARE EITHER EX-MILITARY OR EX-POLICE, RETIRED. IN MOST CASES. WE THINK THE TRAINING IS EXCELLENT. WE HAVE BACKUPS OF EITHER SROS OR ASOS, SO EVERY SCHOOL WILL BE COVERED EVERY DAY, AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE DOUBLED UP AT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS. SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS I THINK ARE IMPORTANT THAT WE DO. WE HAVE 4,700 CAMERAS THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT, 4,700. THEY ARE MONITORED 24/7 IS AN INCREDIBLE CENTER WE HAVE WHERE THEY ARE MONITORED, AND NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THOSE CAMERAS ALL CAME IN IN [00:15:03] 2015 AND 2016 ON OUR LAST BOND, THEY ARE NOW ALL BEING REPLACED. AS YOU KNOW, STATE OF THE ART CHANGES WE NOW ARE GOING TO BE GETTING 4,700 AND MORE BECAUSE WHEN WE PUT THOSE IN ORIGINALLY, SOME OF THE SECURITY PEOPLE SAID WE'D LIKE SOME EXTRA CAMERAS IN THESE LOCATIONS. THOSE ARE NOW BEING REPLACED AND ADDED TO. WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, 57 WALK THROUGH METAL DETECTORS, 150 WANDS. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE AND I HAVE PERMISSION TO DO THIS FROM THE SECURITY DEPARTMENT. LAST MAY, I WAS WITH PERMISSION AT LAKEVIEW CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL, VISITING A CLASSROOM, AND AS I LEFT THE CLASSROOM, I'M JUST WALKING DOWN A RANDOM HALL, AND THERE WAS ONE OF THESE METAL DETECTORS, AND THE SRO WAS THERE, AND OUR SECURITY OFFICERS, AND THE DRUG DRUG DOG, WHO CAN ALSO DO GUNPOWDER, JUST RANDOMLY SELECTING KIDS AS THEY WALKED DOWN THE HALL. AND I SAID TO THEM, HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO THIS? THEY SAID, MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, MULTIPLE CAMPUSES. I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY TEAMS YOU HAVE, BUT THESE GO AROUND OUR SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME. I SAID, DO YOU COME BACK TO THE SAME LOCATION? THEY SAID, IT'S RANDOM, SO WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY. THE ONLY PERSON WHO KNOWS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE IS THE PRINCIPAL AND THE SRO AT THAT SCHOOL. SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE DO. MOST IMPORTANTLY, BESIDES ALL OF THAT, BESIDES ALL OF THAT, BESIDES THE FILM THAT WE'VE ADDED, I THINK VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IS, AS YOU HEARD IN GEORGIA, THEY HAVE AN APP WHERE VERY QUICKLY THE TEACHER OR TEACHERS COULD NOTIFY. WE ALREADY HAVE THAT SAME ADVANCED SYSTEM, PROBABLY EVEN MORE ADVANCED THAN THE SYSTEM IN GEORGIA. SO VERY, VERY QUICKLY, IF THERE IS AN INCIDENT, WE CAN GO AHEAD VERY THAT QUICKLY TELL ALL, TELL THE SRO OR THE ASO AND OUR CENTRAL DISPATCH THAT QUICKLY. THE OTHER THING WE'RE DOING NOW, AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TWO WEEKS AGO IN OUR BOND MEETINGS, WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT EXISTED, WE DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE. WE'RE REPLACING ALL THE KEYS. WE HAD MULTIPLE KEYS FOR MULTIPLE DOORS. REMEMBER THE PROBLEM IN UVALDE? THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHICH KEY WORKED. WE'RE ABOUT TO ELIMINATE THAT PROBLEM PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WE WILL HAVE CHANGED EVERY SINGLE KEY. SO THERE'S ONE KEY PER SCHOOL PER DOOR. I THINK THAT'S COMING. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN I GO TO BED. I THINK EVERYBODY ON THIS PANEL, ALL OF OUR CABINET BELIEVES 7,500 EMPLOYEES, 52,000 PLUS STUDENTS SAFETY IS CRITICAL BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ON IN THIS DISTRICT. WE WANT OUR KIDS AND OUR STAFF TO BE SAFE, AND I THINK STARTING WITH THE WORK WE DID IN 2014 FOR THAT BOND WHERE WE WERE WELL, WELL AHEAD OF ANY OTHER DISTRICT IN THE STATE, WE'RE NOW CONTINUING THAT, AND I WANT EVERYBODY AND THE PARENTS WATCHING, CERTAINLY THE STAFF WATCHING. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO MAKE THIS THE SAFEST DISTRICT WE CAN. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU, MR. GLICK. MR. BEACH THANK YOU, MR. SELDERS. YES, I'D LIKE TO ADD TO WHAT MR. GLICK SAID ABOUT THE GOLF TOURNAMENTS AND WHAT A JOY IT IS TO BE THERE BECAUSE OF THE NETWORKING THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO AT THESE TOURNAMENTS, AND I WANT EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TO KNOW HOW IMPACTFUL THEY ARE, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT COME UP TO US AND ARE PRAISING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SUPPORTING IT THROUGH THE GARLAND EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND OTHER AREAS, IT IS REALLY IT MAKES THE HAIR ON MY ARM STAND UP WHEN PEOPLE COME BY AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE BOND PROGRAM, SEEING THE FIELDS THAT ARE BEING BUILT THAT'S BEING USED BY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, HIGH SCHOOLERS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS AND THE NEW BAND INSTRUMENTS, ETC. SO PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE, THEY'RE SEEING IT AND THEY'RE NETWORKING OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN THE PUBLIC, AND IT REALLY MAKES ME FEEL GOOD WHEN I'M ABLE TO SHAKE THE HAND AND THANK THEM FOR BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT IS PARTICIPATING WITH GISD. SO I WANT TO ADD TO THAT, THAT WHAT MR. GLICK SAID. ALSO, I DID GO TO THE COUNCIL OF PTA MEETING, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR PTA LEADERSHIP AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THE PUSH THAT THEY HAVE TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN. DARRELL CULPEPPER DID A REALLY NICE JOB OF SPEAKING TO THE GROUP ABOUT MORE DADS GETTING INVOLVED, AND I THINK THAT THEY WILL. SO I'M REAL PLEASED WITH WHAT I WITNESSED AT THAT PARTICULAR MEETING. ALSO, I WENT TO THE 9/11 FLAG RAISING AT THE ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL, A VERY MOVING EXPERIENCE PUT ON VERY WELL BY THE SCHOOL. THE SAXOPHONE PLAYER PLAYED AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. SO VERY PROUD OF THAT SCHOOL FOR PUTTING THAT ON ON 9/11. [00:20:02] ALSO, I WENT DOWN TO LAST NIGHT TO OUR STUDENT SERVICES NUTRITION CENTER FOR THE MENU ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND I WENT DOWN TO SEE SOME OF THE NEW FOODS THAT IS BEING PRESENTED FOR OUR CAMPUSES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE JENNIFER AND CRAIG AND KEVIN, THE CHEF KEVIN, ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TASTED FROM NEW CARNITAS WITH MANGO SALSA, I MEAN, AND JUST TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WERE REALLY, REALLY DELICIOUS AND HAD WAS ABLE TO GIVE GOOD INPUT JUST SO THAT THE KIDS WOULD TRY DIFFERENT MENU ITEMS. SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON WHAT VERY GOOD TURNOUT. SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON THAT. ALSO, I WANT TO THANK, AS MISS GRIFFIN MENTIONED, ABOUT ACTS OF KINDNESS TONIGHT A SHOCK FROM MR. TOVAR, THE PRINCIPAL AT MEMORIAL, M.P.A., BRINGING EVERYBODY HERE ON THIS BOARD, A BOX OF COOKIES AND A CARD THANKING US FOR THE TIME THAT WE PUT IN ON THE ON THIS BOARD, AND IT REALLY MEANS SOMETHING TO ME THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT WE DO PUT IN A LOT OF TIME, BUT WE DO IT FOR THE STUDENTS AND WE DO IT FOR THE TEACHERS OF THIS DISTRICT, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NATIONAL HISPANIC MONTH, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION, YOUR INFLUENCE, YOUR HISTORY, YOUR CULTURE AND YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS, AND IT HASN'T GONE UNNOTICED, AND THAT'S FROM SEPTEMBER THE 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER THE 15TH, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT CULTURE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THANK YOU ROBERT. THANK YOU, MR. BEACH. MR. JOHNSON. THANK YOU. I WON'T GO OVER THE GOLF TOURNAMENT VICTORY BECAUSE LARRY ALREADY LET THAT BE KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE LAND, BUT YES, I WAS PART OF THE VICTORIOUS GISD BOARD GOLF TEAM AT THE GARLAND CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT. I WAS THRILLED TO PARTICIPATE IN GISD COLLEGE NIGHT AT THE CULWELL CENTER LAST WEEK. IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT, AS IT ALWAYS IS. I FELT LIKE THIS YEAR WE KIND OF NAILED THE FLOW A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BECAUSE WE'VE KIND OF SHIFTED SOME BIG HITTERS AROUND TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER SPACED, AND SO I FELT LIKE THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO GET TO AND AROUND THE CULWELL CENTER FLOOR AND BACK UP TO THE CONCOURSE LEVEL, WHERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT COLLEGES, AS ALWAYS, EXTREMELY WELL ATTENDED BY OUR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS, AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE LOOKING TO BE PREPARED FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS AND LIFE, WHICH IS WHAT OUR GOAL IS HERE. IN ADDITION, NOBODY UP HERE SURPRISINGLY HAS MENTIONED IT YET, BUT MOST OF US WERE AT THE NOON EXCHANGE CLUB LABOR DAY PARADE. IT'S JUST BEEN ALMOST A MONTH SINCE WE WERE THERE, BUT YES, THAT WAS THIS MONTH, AND THAT WAS THAT'S ALWAYS FUN. I FEEL LIKE THIS THIS HAD TO BE THE BEST ATTENDED LABOR DAY PARADE I'VE EVER I'VE EVER BEEN TO, THE CROWDS WERE HUGE WITH RESPECT TO IT, AND JUST LAST, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, PLEASE ATTEND GISD BAND FEST. TICKETS ARE ONLY $5. YOU WILL NOT GET A BETTER BANG FOR YOUR FIVE BUCKS THAN GOING OUT TO HBJ ON MONDAY NIGHT AND SEEING SOME OF THE BEST BANDS IN THE AREA PERFORM. IT'S ALWAYS A VISUAL SIGHT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE. I'M ASSUMING WE'LL HAVE GOOD BOARD ATTENDANCE. WE ALWAYS DO AND IT'S ONE OF THE FUN NIGHTS OF THE YEAR FOR ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. MISS STANLEY. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SELDERS. SO I JUST WANTED TO I HAD FOR THE FIRST TIME, I GOT TO GO TO MASBO, WHICH IS THE MEXICAN AMERICAN SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, THEIR CONFERENCE, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST CONFERENCE I'VE GONE TO SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. IT JUST IT WAS SO IT WAS SO INTERACTIVE, AND NOT ALL OF OUR SESSIONS ARE INTERACTIVE, BUT IT WAS REALLY LISTENING TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE HAVING SIMILAR CHALLENGES, SUCCESSES. WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD OUR HEAD UP VERY HIGH WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO ENGAGE OUR PARENTS OF ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT CULTURES, BUT THE ONE THING THAT REALLY HIT HOME THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF THE TALK OF THE OF THE WEEKEND WAS THAT IT'S OUR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS ARE NOT FROM MEXICO. IT'S NOT THERE'S THIS MYTH THAT THEY'RE ALL FROM MEXICO AND THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. I MEAN, IT WAS I MEAN, AND WE HAVE THE SAME STRUGGLES HERE IN GARLAND THAT A COMMUNITY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, 100% HISPANIC HAS, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL A STRUGGLE BECAUSE THEY'RE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS, AREN'T SPANISH SPEAKERS. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS IS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF, THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN THE IMMIGRANTS AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, AND MY FAVORITE TOPICS FOR THOSE TWO DAYS WAS REALLY THE ART OF READING, AND HOW IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TRANSLATE WELL [00:25:09] TO OUR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING MEMBERS OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TEACH NOT ONLY ENGLISH, BUT WE WANT THEM TO ALSO BE FLUENT AND TEACH THEM THEIR, THEIR, THEIR LANGUAGE AS WELL. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT TO GO AWAY. WE WANT TO ENHANCE IT, AND SO THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, AND THEN JUST THE JUST IMMIGRATION AND THE EFFECTS OF OUR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS AND HOW IMMIGRATION LAWS REALLY CAN CREATE A VERY FEARFUL ATMOSPHERE, AND IT WAS JUST IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING I JUST I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH, AND THEN THE MUSIC AND THE ART AND THE STUDENTS, I MEAN, WOW, THAT'S ALL I COULD SAY WAS JUST WOW. SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME ATTEND THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO CONGRATULATE BRUNO. I KNOW HE'S NOT HERE ANYMORE, BUT HE LAST WEEKEND, LAST WEDNESDAY, HE ACTUALLY GOT THE UNSUNG HERO FROM THE GARLAND EXCHANGE RECOGNIZING HIS DEED AS WELL. SO I LOVE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THESE DEEDS NOT ONLY HERE BUT THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S JUST IT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW INTERCONNECTED WE ARE IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE INTRODUCTORY COHORT FOR THEIR COMPLETING THEIR FIRST SEMESTER OF THE DYSLEXIA. I DON'T KNOW, IS IT DYSLEXIA CAMPUS IS THAT. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO SAY IT. IT'S THE PROGRAM WE'RE DOING. THE ACADEMY? YEAH, IT'S MORE OF AN ACADEMY WHERE THE PREP THEY COME IN AND GET PREPPED FOR. IT'S SO EXCITING. I MEAN, WE'RE AMAZING HERE AT GISD, AND THEN I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE FIRST STAGE MEETING THAT WAS HELD LAST THURSDAY. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF TOWN, BUT THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THIS PROGRAM GOING COUNCIL PTA, IT'S SO HUGELY APPRECIATIVE, AND THEN MY LAST SHOUT OUT IS GOING TO GO TO MISS AMANDA WINSTEL FROM HERFURTH, WHO FINISHED HER FIRST SESSION OF HER EMERGING LEADERS ACADEMY WITH THE COUNCIL OF PTA, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY GO, AMANDA. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS STANLEY. YOU KNOW, WE'RE QUICKLY COMING UP ON THE FIRST GRADING CYCLE OF THE SEMESTER, AND I KNOW THE STUDENTS ARE WORKING HARD TO MEET THE GRADE, AND I THINK THAT'S AWESOME. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, THOUGH, ALL OF THE WORK DONE BY STAFF TEACHERS, AS WELL AS ALL ADMINISTRATORS TO MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE RUNNING RELATIVELY SMOOTH, AND I SAY RELATIVELY, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE CHALLENGES IN VARIOUS POCKETS OF THE DISTRICT, BUT THEY'RE DOING OR EVERYBODY'S DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL. DR. LOPEZ YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, SAFETY AND SECURITY, TRANSPORTATION, ALL OF YOU GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO HELP OUR DISTRICT BE SUCCESSFUL AND HELPING US TO HAVE A RELATIVELY SMOOTH SCHOOL YEAR. I ATTENDED A LOT OF THE EVENTS THAT MANY OF THE TRUSTEES TALKED ABOUT, THE ONES THAT DIDN'T GET TALKED ABOUT, I'LL SHARE. I ATTENDED THE NAACP FREEDOM FUND BRUNCH, AND SO IT WAS AWESOME TO SEE ALL OF THE ADULTS THAT WERE GETTING RECOGNIZED, BUT WE HAD A NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM OUR DISTRICT GETTING RECOGNIZED, AND I LEFT MY LIST AT HOME. JUST KIND OF MY NOTES, BUT I WANTED TO READ THEIR NAMES INDIVIDUALLY, BUT WE HAD THE TOP AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENT AT EACH CAMPUS WAS RECOGNIZED ALONG WITH THEIR GPA THAT WAS READ, AND SOME OF THESE GPAS WERE OUT OF THE OUT OF OUT OF, OUT OF THIS WORLD, AND IT WAS AWESOME TO SEE THEM GET THAT RECOGNITION AND TO HAVE THE DISTRICT REPRESENTED THERE AT THE NAACP FREEDOM BRUNCH FREEDOM FUND BRUNCH EVENT. I WILL SAY, LIKE MISS STANLEY, I ATTENDED THE MASBO CONFERENCE AS WELL, AND WITH IT BEING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, THE CONFERENCE WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE OBSERVATION OF THE MONTH, BUT JUST BEING ABLE TO SIT IN SESSIONS WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND SOME SUPERINTENDENTS FROM DIFFERENT DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE, AND LEARNING ABOUT THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH MAKING SURE THAT HISPANIC STUDENTS HAVE THE NOT ONLY ACADEMIC SUCCESS, BUT ALSO THE ABILITY TO IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL WELL-BEING AS HUMAN BEINGS. AND JUST LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT WERE BEING EMPLOYED IN SOME OF THE DISTRICTS AND SEEING WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IN GARLAND ISD, IT WAS JUST VERY, VERY RICH EXPERIENCE FOR ME AS WELL. COUNCIL PTAS ALWAYS LOVE ATTENDING, YOU KNOW, GUYS'S MEETINGS, AND JUST KIND OF HEARING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. MR. QUINN WAS THERE, AND HE GAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE. I REALLY APPRECIATED HEARING THAT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS HE TALKED ABOUT WAS TERRORISTIC THREATS AND HOW SERIOUS WE TAKE THEM HERE IN OUR DISTRICT, AND, YOU [00:30:05] KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, KIDS, LIKE, HE WOULD SAY, POPPING OFF AT THE MOUTH I LIKE HOW HE SAID THAT WOULD JUST MAKE OFF COMMENTS, RIGHT? NOT REALLY RECOGNIZING AND UNDERSTANDING THE WEIGHT OF JUST SAYING OFFHANDED COMMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, PARENTS AND, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS, IT APPLIES TO TEACHERS AS WELL, AND SO JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH US THERE, AS WELL AS WHAT MR. BEACH TALKED ABOUT WITH DEREK CULPEPPER, TALKING ABOUT ACTIVE DAD'S RULE, AND HE SHARED SOME STATISTICS, SOME VERY SOBERING STATISTICS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF FATHERLESSNESS AND GAVE SOME STRATEGIES FOR HELPING TO GET MORE FATHERS INVOLVED, MORE MEN INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON CAMPUSES, AS WELL AS THE BENEFITS FOR HAVING MALE INVOLVEMENT. NOT SAYING THAT FEMALE INVOLVEMENT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT IMPORTANT, BUT HE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND BRING AND ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MALE PARTICIPATION. ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND THE DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER LUNCHEON AND HEAR COMMISSIONER MORATH TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AND GIVE HIS STATE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ADDRESS. HE MADE SOME VERY INTERESTING COMMENTS, AND I THINK THAT GOING FORWARD, IT'LL BE INTERESTING, IT'LL BE GREAT TO SEE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT HE TALKED ABOUT COMING TRUE. I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT DR. LOPEZ SHARED IN HIS STATE OF THE DISTRICT ADDRESS AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING AS A DISTRICT. ALSO PRESENT WAS TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE BRAD BUCKLEY, WHO'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TEXAS HOUSE PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE. HE HAD SOME REALLY INTERESTING MOMENTS AS WELL. SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. I'VE ALSO ATTENDED A NUMBER OF FOOTBALL GAMES AND VOLLEYBALL MATCHES OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO GO OUT AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AS WELL, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING MORE OF THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS, AND JUST AS A NOTE TRUSTEES, JUST PAY ATTENTION TO THE CALENDAR THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BOARD BOOKS. WE HAVE TASKS THAT WILL BE COMING UP. MR. JOHNSON TALKED ABOUT BAND FEST, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ALSO DISTRICT EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE ATTENDANCE AND PRESENCE AT. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR. [V.B. Superintendent's Report] LOPEZ FOR YOUR SUPERINTENDENT REPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, PRESIDENT SELDERS. YOU COULD SEE THAT SCHOOLS OFF AND RUNNING. THE TRUSTEES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED, AND NOT ONLY THE SCHOOL SUCCESS, BUT THE COMMUNITY SUCCESS, AND SO I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERY BOARD ACROSS THE STATE, BUT I COULD SAY OUR BOARD TRULY LOVES OUR TRI-CITIES. ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF IS WHEN YOU SPOKE OF CALENDARS, I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE MINDFUL OF BUT BEFORE WE HAVE OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FALL BREAK, AND SO THE FALL BREAK FALLS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A GRADING PERIOD, AND IT'S DESIGNED THAT WAY TO GIVE EVERYBODY A BREAK. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WHEN WE DESIGNED THESE, THE FEEDBACK WE GOT WAS FROM A LOT OF THE KIDS. WELL, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE HAVE A BREAK THEY TEACHERS JUST GIVE ME MORE HOMEWORK. WELL IF ALL GRADES ARE DUE THERE'S NO HOMEWORK RIGHT, AND THEN IT ALLOWS GRADES TO CLOSE. IT ALLOWS TEACHERS TO RECHARGE AND GET READY FOR THE NEXT COMING GRADING CYCLE. SO THAT'S COMING UP QUICKLY. ALSO, WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DID RELEASE OUR GRADES. WE'RE NOT EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. WE ARE STILL A B DISTRICT. WE'RE A LOW B WITH AN 81, BUT WE'RE STILL A B DISTRICT, AND I WILL SAY THAT THE BOARD IS FULLY COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT RISES WITH EACH AND EVERY COMING YEAR, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE KIND OF WEIRD SAYING, BUT IT'S NOT JUST BEING AN A, IT'S HAVING AN A WITH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THRIVING. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE THE A CAN MASK A LOT OF THINGS AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO MASK ANYTHING. WE'RE VERY TRANSPARENT IN WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE SAY. SO YOU GUYS HIGHLIGHTED MOST OF IT. I WILL SAY IT WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE WINNING THAT GOLF TOURNAMENT. YOU KNOW THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT PUTT LOOK LIKE? AND IT'S GOING TO BE ON YOUR EVALUATION, DR. LOPEZ, YOU KNOW, SO I BETTER GET IT RIGHT, YOU KNOW? AND ALL IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. IT WAS A GREAT DAY. IT WAS THE GARLAND CHAMBER EVENT, AND I'M GLAD YOU ALL CAME BACK AND AND REENGAGED WITH THE ROWLETT CHAMBER AS WELL. SO WORKING WITH THE TRI-CITY AREA IS REALLY PROBABLY THE BEST PART OF WHAT WE GET TO DO, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S ALL IN IT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU, MR. SELDERS. THANK YOU, DR. LOPEZ. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO DISCUSSION ITEM C FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. [V.C. Future Agenda Items] TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THAT YOU WISH? I SAW ONE HERE. OKAY. MISS STANLEY, AND THEN. YEAH. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE, HOPEFULLY, AS SOON AS WE CAN, THAT WE CAN GATHER AND DISCUSS WHATEVER [00:35:09] POTENTIAL REAL ESTATE TALKS THAT WE MIGHT BE HAVING. RENTALS, LEASING, PURCHASING. I HEAR THINGS, AND INSTEAD OF GOING TO ONE PERSON TO ASK QUESTIONS, I JUST THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA THAT WE GET IN THE SAME ROOM AND WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT IS AND IS NOT HAPPENING OUT THERE, SO THAT WE CAN BE INFORMED. I'D APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. MR. GLICK? YES. BACK IN AT OUR JUNE MEETING IN THE SAME TOPIC, I ASKED FOR AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING ENVIRONMENTALLY WITH ALL THE NEW BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE CREATING. OBVIOUSLY, FOR NEW ELEMENTARIES NEW AG CENTER, A NEW TECHNOLOGY BUILDING, MULTIPURPOSE BUILDINGS, AND WHEN WE'VE HAD THE TWO ARCHITECTS FOR TWO OF THE CAMPUSES, WE'VE SHOWN I'VE ASKED THEM QUESTIONS, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD GET AN ACTUAL REPORT ON WHAT WE WERE DOING ENVIRONMENTALLY. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. [VI. Consent Agenda] ASIDE FROM THE HR REPORT, ALL OF THESE OTHER ITEMS CAME TO US THROUGH OUR FFO AND ADAC COMMITTEES, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WERE NO CHANGES, AND SO IF TRUSTEES ARE OKAY, WE CAN TAKE IT THESE ITEMS AS A BLANKET MOTION FOR APPROVAL, AND I WOULD ASK WHOEVER MAKES THE MOTION TO PLEASE READ EACH ITEM. MR. JOHNSON. MR. PRESIDENT. YES, SIR. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, INCLUDING ITEM SIX A THE HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT. ITEM SIX B APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED 2025-26 CHOICE OF SCHOOL CALENDAR. ITEM SIX C APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION FOR AN EVENT AT THE CURTIS CULWELL CENTER. ITEM SIX D APPROVAL OF BUDGET TRANSFERS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE 2024-2025 GENERAL FUND. ITEM SIX E APPROVAL OF THE CITY OF ROWLETT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. ITEM SIX F APPROVAL OF DONATIONS FROM THE WATSON MST PTA. ITEM SIX G NEW BIDS ONE CONTRACT 14-24-02 APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF ADVERTISING SERVICES CONTRACT 196-25. APPROVAL OF PURCHASE. STRUCTURED CABLING SERVICES. CONTRACT 294-25 APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF BROADCASTING SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES CONTRACT 325-25-03 APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ABILITY TESTING. CONTRACT 325-25-04 APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ABILITY TESTING THAT LOOKS LIKE A REPEAT CONTRACT 325-25-05. APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF ONLINE ASSESSMENT FOR DUAL LANGUAGE EPCNT. ITEM SIX H INCREASE TO AWARDED BIDS. CONTRACT 228-20. APPROVAL OF INCREASE IN AWARD AMOUNT FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM PARTS AND SERVICE. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. JOHNSON, SECONDED BY MISS STANLEY. EXCUSE ME. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? IF THERE IS NO DISCUSSION, WE'RE PREPARED TO VOTE. VOTE NOW. VOTE CLOSED. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. SORRY. YEAH. JUST A QUESTION. SURE. MAYBE FOR MISS HOGAN, THE WE HAD AN ITEM TWO WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE DONATION TO THE ROWLETT MUSICAL THEATER. I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR POLICY WE WERE LOOKING AT WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT, BUT MR. DODDS, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. OKAY. I THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH THE TIMELINES OF THE GRANT AND SOME TIMELINES OF EVENTS. IT WAS AT A PLACE WHERE IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE OR THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. SO AT THIS TIME, THEY PULLED. SO WILL IT COME BACK? AT THIS TIME, NO. I THINK THEY PASSED THE DEADLINES FOR SOME COMPETITIONS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. YEAH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM SEVEN ACTION ITEM FOR NON CONSENT. [VII.A. Consider Approval of TASB Update 123 Local Policies - Lisa Ray] [00:40:01] SEVEN A CONSIDER APPROVAL OF TASB UPDATE 123 LOCAL POLICIES. MISS RAY. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT SELDERS, RESPECTED TRUSTEES, DR. LOPEZ. THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY, ARE 14 LOCAL POLICIES FROM TASB UPDATE 123. THESE ARE FOR SECOND AND FINAL READ. YOU SAW THEM PREVIOUSLY LAST MONTH, AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE MINOR CHANGES THAT WE MADE TO EFA LOCAL AND EFB LOCAL. IF YOU RECALL, THOSE POLICIES HAD OUTLINED THAT THE PRINCIPAL WOULD BE THE FINAL DECISION MAKER BUT HERE WE HAVE A COMMITTEE PROCESS, AND SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY CHANGES THAT WE HAD MADE, AND THAT WAS UNCHANGED FROM LAST MONTH. THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND IF YOU'LL SEE FROM YOUR ACTION SHEET THERE IS A MOTION THAT IS THERE FOR THE RECOMMENDED MOTION. DO I HAVE A MOTION. I WILL MAKE THE MOTION IF YOU'D LIKE. SURE. OKAY. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LOCAL POLICIES FROM UPDATE 123, INCLUDING THE MODIFICATIONS TO EFA LOCAL AND EFB LOCAL AS PRINTED IN OUR BOARD BOOK. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MISS STANLEY, SECONDED BY MR. GLICK. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THERE IS NO DISCUSSION. PREPARE TO VOTE. VOTE OPEN. VOTE CLOSED. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RAY. [VII.B. Consider Approval of Setting the Tax Rate for the 2024-2025 School Year – Darrell Dodds and Elisa Cordova-Long] ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM SEVEN B CONSIDER APPROVAL OF SETTING THE TAX RATE FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR. MR. DODDS. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT SELDERS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT DR. LOPEZ. IF YOU THINK BACK TO JUNE 25TH, WE APPROVED THE 2024-2025 BUDGET. IT WAS A $600 MILLION BUDGET. TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO SET A TAX RATE THAT WILL HELP FUND THAT BUDGET. THE BUDGET IS FUNDED NOT ONLY BY THE TAX RATE AND THE MONEY THAT GENERATES, BUT ALSO BY THE STATE REVENUE. THERE IS TWO SEPARATE TAX RATES THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT AND THEN COMBINED. THE TAX RATE FOR OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION, WHICH THAT FUNDS EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FROM OUR ELECTRICITY BILLS TO OUR PAY TO PURCHASING EQUIPMENT AND JUST MAINTAINING EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND THAT TAX RATE WOULD BE 0.6669, AND THEN OUR INTEREST AND SINKING TAX RATE IS AT 0.3840, WHICH ONLY CAN MAKE VOTER APPROVED BOND PAYMENTS FOR THE DISTRICT, AND SO THAT IS A TOTAL TAX RATE OF $1. 509 AND SO AS WE LOOK AT THIS THIS IS A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE THAT WAS SET AT A DOLLAR OR LESS. IT IS A 0.0023 LESS THAN WHAT OUR TAX RATE WAS LAST YEAR, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THE MOTION HAS TO BE MADE, IT LOOKS TOTALLY DIFFERENT, AND SO AS WE LOOK AT WHAT THIS TAX RATE WILL DO, IT WILL HELP FUND OUR LOCAL 199 BUDGET. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS OUR TRUTH AND TAXATION STATEMENT, AND I'LL ASK YOU TO GO BACK TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENT. THE TRUTH IN TAXATION HAS TO BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, AND IT HAS TO BE PART OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND SO YEAH. KEEP GOING. SO THIS IS THE TAX CALCULATION WORKSHEET, AND ONE OF THE THINGS AND I'M GOING TO SCROLL NOW ONE OF THE CALCULATIONS THAT IS REQUIRED NOW IS WHAT THEY CALL A NO NEW REVENUE [00:45:01] TAX RATE, AND SO THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE ENABLES THE PUBLIC TO EVALUATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TAX RATES FROM THE PRIOR YEAR TO THE CURRENT YEAR AND IT'S BASED ON IF THE VALUES AND EVERYTHING WERE EQUAL COMPARED TO WHAT THE VALUES WILL INCREASE FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, AND I BELIEVE WE HAD A LITTLE OVER 13% INCREASE IN OUR VALUES. SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT SHOWS THE TAX RATE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MORE NEW TAX REVENUE. WHAT THE TAX RATE SHOULD BE COMPRESSED DOWN TO, AND SO THAT WAS AND I KNOW IT'S REALLY SMALL. THAT'S THAT 0.932536 NUMBER. NOW THAT IS IF THERE IS NO NEW REVENUE FOR THE TAX RATE, AND SO THAT'S WHERE IN OUR WHEN YOU SAY THE MOTION IT SHOWS A 12.69% INCREASE. THAT IS BASED OFF THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. IT'S VERY CONFUSING. IT'S VERY CONFUSING TO OUR TAXPAYERS. IT'S CONFUSING TO JUST ABOUT ANYBODY IN THE STATE. ON WHY WE JUST SAID OUR TAX RATE LOWERED, BUT NOW IN OUR MOTION, WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A PERCENT INCREASE. NOW SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, YOU ARE COLLECTING MORE TAXES THAN YOU DID THE YEAR BEFORE. YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE REALLY IN A TARGET REVENUE. THAT'S THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS SET UP. THE MORE MONEY WE EARN ON TAXES, THE LESS MONEY THE STATE PAYS US, AND IT'S ALMOST A WASH. SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE COLLECTING 38 MILLION MORE IN NEW TAXES, IN TAXES, THE STATE LOWERS THEIR AMOUNT THAT THEY GIVE US, AND WE'RE STILL EARNING A LOT OF THE SAME RATE AND SO I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. THIS THIS NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE MAKES ASSUMPTIONS THAT THERE IS NO CHANGE IN VALUES, AND THEN IT EXPECTS IF VALUES INCREASE, THEN IT WOULD COMPRESS THE TAX RATE IF SOMETHING HAPPENED WHERE VALUES DECREASED, AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER SEEN THAT IN A GOOD WHILE. MAYBE 2020 WHEN COVID HIT. THEN THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE WOULD BE UP, BUT IT REALLY HAS NO BEARING ON WHAT WE DO BECAUSE ONCE WE GET OUR CERTIFIED VALUES FROM OUR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, WE SEND THAT TO TEA AND THE COMPTROLLER. ONCE THEY LOOK AT THAT, THEN THEY SET OUR ACTUAL TAX RATE, OUR MAXIMUM COMPRESSED TAX RATE. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO UP FIVE PENNIES, WHICH WE HAVE EVERY YEAR FOR WHEN THAT WAS ALLOWED, AND SO THAT'S WHERE IT SETS OUR TAX RATE AT 6.669 FOR OUR. NO IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE INTEREST IN SINKING, BUT ANYWAY I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN AND I HOPE I EXPLAINED IT. ALL RIGHT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL TRY TO EXPLAIN IT DIFFERENT, BUT I DO WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHEN WE SAY THE MOTION, IT SAYS WE ACTUALLY INCREASE THE TAX RATE BY 12.69% WHEN WE ACTUALLY DON'T. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. THANK YOU, MR. DODDS. I FEEL LIKE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF SONG AND DANCE BECAUSE OF THE TRUTH IN TAXATION ACT, WHICH IN MY OPINION IS THE DECEPTION AND TAXATION ACT BUT THAT BEING SAID, THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET THROUGH M AND O IS THE BASIC ALLOTMENT. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT? YES. SO WE'RE UNIQUE AS OPPOSED TO ANY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY IN THIS STATE WHO RAISES MONEY THROUGH TAXATION, IN THAT WE DON'T GET A DIRECT BENEFIT FROM THE TAXES THAT GOES TO AUSTIN, DOES IT NOT, AND IT COMES BACK TO US IN THE FORM OF THE BASIC ALLOTMENT? NO, WE KEEP IT, BUT THE LEDGER GOES TO AUSTIN, RIGHT? YEAH, THEY MONITOR HOW MUCH OUR VALUES ARE AND WHAT WE'RE COLLECTING IN TAX RATE, AND THEN THEY DECREASE BY AN ALMOST EQUAL PROPORTION THE AMOUNT OF STATE REVENUE WE GET BASED UPON THE INCREASES WE HAVE IN APPRAISED VALUE. CORRECT. AS A RESULT, THERE'S NO MORE MONEY COMING INTO THE DISTRICT, REGARDLESS OF THE APPRAISAL BILL THAT COMES IN, AND CAN WE GET THIS? ALL OF US GET THIS. YOU KNOW, GSID IS TAXING US INTO THE STONE AGE. [00:50:02] WE'RE NOT TAXING YOU ANY MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE. IN FACT, ALMOST CONSISTENTLY SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, OUR RATES HAVE GONE DOWN ALMOST EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS APPRAISING YOU INTO THE STONE AGE, AND WE DON'T GET ANY BENEFIT FROM THAT. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT? YES. OR A MINOR, VERY MINOR BENEFIT? YES, AND I DO WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT DOES SET THE VALUES, BUT THE STATE ALSO CHECKS THOSE VALUES TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE STAYING UP WITH THE CURRENT MARKET, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ACTUALLY THE ONLY ONE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT KEEPING UP WITH THE MARKET VALUE. BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET LOCAL VALUES, WHICH I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO TOO MUCH OF IT, BUT WE COULD BE. IF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT WAS WAY OFF IN THEIR VALUES, THE STATE COULD COME IN AND ASSIGN US THE STATE VALUES AND WE COULD LOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDING OFF THAT. SO THE STATE STILL CONTROLS THE TAX RATE, AND THEY ALSO HAVE A HAMMER ON THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE PROPERTY TO MARKET VALUE, WHICH YOU HEAR IT ALL THE TIME FROM AUSTIN LEGISLATURES. OH MY GOSH, THE RATES ARE SO HIGH. THEY'RE ALL TAXING OUR PEOPLE SO MUCH. WHENEVER THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEAR, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE WATCHING THIS THAT ARE PROBABLY THIS IS THE FIRST THEY'VE HEARD OF IT AND THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS. WHEN THE APPRAISAL VALUE GOES UP AND TAX REVENUES INCREASE BECAUSE OF IT, THE STATE GIVES US LESS MONEY. NOT JUST US, BUT EVERY OTHER DISTRICT IN THE STATE. SO OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, SINCE WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE IN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, LAST WAS IN 2019. CORRECT? CORRECT. THE STATE HAS SAVED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THESE APPRAISALS THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO GO UP ALL ON OUR DIME. NOW WE GET NO MORE MONEY. WE WE'RE RUNNING DEFICIT BUDGETS NOW BECAUSE OF THIS. MEANWHILE, THE STATE'S COFFERS ARE FILLING UP AND THEY HAVE MASSIVE SURPLUSES NOW EACH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT THEY WON'T FUND THE SCHOOLS, AND THIS NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR BECAUSE INSTEAD THEY MAKE US READ LIES THAT SAY THAT WE'RE JACKING UP YOUR TAXES, 12.69%, WHICH IS A LIE. WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY OF IT, AND EVERY YEAR I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO GO ON THIS SOAPBOX AND RANT ABOUT IT, BUT NOTHING EVER CHANGES, BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP DOING IT BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF BEING FORCED TO TELL THE TRUTH. WHICH IS WE KEEP LOWERING YOUR TAX RATES AND THEY KEEP TAKING THE MONEY AND [INAUDIBLE] AUSTIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. MR. MILLER. YEAH, AND THANK YOU. I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MR. DODDS, TO THE TASK OF HAVING TO STAND UP HERE AND TRY TO TALK ABOUT TEXAS SCHOOL FINANCE IS KIND OF ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS YOU'LL EVER DO, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS IT. WE KNOW THE IMPACT. LET ME JUST TELL YOU THIS. MR. JOHNSON MADE VERY VALUABLE POINTS, BUT I DO KNOW THIS. I CAME ON THE SCHOOL BOARD IN 2017. OUR TAX RATE WAS $1.46. TODAY WE SIT HERE AND THE TAX RATE IS $1 FIVE. YES. SO THE TAX RATE HAS GONE DOWN. YOUR VALUES HAVE GONE UP. EACH INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER MAY BE ACTUALLY WRITING A LARGER CHECK, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE LOWERED YOUR TAX RATE. YOU MAY BE WRITING A LARGER CHECK EVERY YEAR BECAUSE VALUE APPRECIATION HAS REALLY GONE UP. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS TEXAS HAS INSTITUTED THE COMPRESSION THAT WE SEE. SO REALLY WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND IS THERE'S REALLY ONLY THREE THINGS WE CAN DO TO AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND ON EDUCATING OUR KIDS. IT'S OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE. WE'RE PAID BASED ON THE ALLOTMENTS OR THE BASIC ALLOTMENTS AND DIFFERENT ADJUSTMENTS THEY HAVE PER KID WHOSE SEAT IS ACTUALLY IN A CHAIR. EVERY DAY WE CAN RAISE OUR TAX RATE, WHICH WE CURRENTLY HAVE ADDITIONAL 12 PENNIES THAT THE STATE WOULD ALLOW US TO INCREASE OUR TAX RATE BY. OUR VOTERS HAVE NOT APPROVED THAT, AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE CAN DO IS JUST MAYBE HOPEFULLY GET A DIFFERENT ALLOTMENT FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT SINCE 2019, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANOTHER PENNY IN THE ALLOTMENT AND INFLATION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT HAS BEEN SINCE 2019, BUT IT'S PROBABLY IN THE 20S OR 30S. JUST ALONE. MR. DODD, I THINK WE'VE GIVEN WHAT, APPROACHING $90 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL TEACHER COMPENSATION OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME. [00:55:07] SO THE IMPACT IT'S HAD ON OUR BUDGET AND ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT YOU WANT TO GO TO IS PROFOUND. THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. WE'RE WORKING ON OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A POTENTIAL TAX RATE ELECTION SOON, AND WE'RE ALSO DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TALK TO OUR PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT US, OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN TEXAS, ABOUT HOW DO WE GET A MORE EQUITABLE ALLOTMENT OUT OF THE STATE, AND SO THOSE THREE THINGS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN. IF NOT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT OUR TAX RATE, IT AT THIS LEVEL OF OPERATIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICT, THIS TAX RATE IS NOT GOING TO PAY ALL THE BILLS. IT JUST CAN'T. SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, AND I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME CHANGE COMING. I HOPE IT'S POSITIVE, AND I HOPE OUR MEETINGS GOING FORWARD, WE CAN AT LEAST CELEBRATE SOME RELIEF WITH RESPECT TO THIS, BUT FOR MY PART, WHEN I SIT HERE AND LOOK AT IT, I JUST REMEMBER $1.46 WHEN I JOINED THE BOARD, AND ITS $1 FIVE. NOW, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS DONE ITS PART, IN MY OPINION, TO MANAGE EXPENSES AND TAKE CARE OF WHAT I THINK IS I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT STUDENT BODY, A VERY DIVERSE NEEDS. WE TALKED ABOUT IT THIS MORNING. WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER TODAY ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT. THERE'S GREAT NEEDS HERE, EVERYTHING FROM SPECIAL ED TO ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED THINGS THAT JUST COST A LOT OF MONEY TO ADDRESS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THAT. WE WANT TO DO IT FOR OUR KIDS. WE WANT TO BE FAIR TO OUR TEACHERS WHO WE RELY ON SO DEARLY. THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE PAID. THE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE. WE'RE CURRENTLY OUR BUDGET IS ABOUT 86% OF OUR BUDGET GOING TO SALARIES. HAVE I GOT THE NUMBER RIGHT? APPROXIMATELY 86% OF OUR ENTIRE BUDGET GOES JUST TO PAY SALARIES. THAT ONLY LEAVES US 14% TO DO EVERYTHING ELSE. SO IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT IN MY PERIOD. IN MY OPINION, AT SOME POINT SOON WE HAVE TO ADDRESS OUR TAX RATE. WE HAVE TO ADDRESS OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE, AND WE HAVE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO CONVINCE THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS NEED MORE FUNDING, ESPECIALLY THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MILLER. EXCUSE ME. TRUSTEES, THERE IS A MOTION IN YOUR RED FOLDERS, SIR. YES, MR. GLICK. I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 1.0509, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 12.69% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. I SECOND IT. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. GLICK, SECONDED BY MISS STANLEY. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? THERE'S NO DISCUSSION. PREPARED TO VOTE. VOTE NOW. VOTE CLOSED. THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU, TRUSTEES. [VII.C. Consider Approval of Garland ISD Tax Roll for Tax Year 2024 – Kristi Cooper] WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ACTION ITEM C. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF GARLAND ISD TAX ROLL FOR THE TAX YEAR 2024. MISS COOPER. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT SELDERS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR. LOPEZ. THIS ITEM WAS PRESENTED IN COMMITTEE, BUT BECAUSE THE TAX RATE HAD TO BE ADOPTED, WE COULDN'T PUT THIS IN A CONSENT ITEM. WE ARE SEEKING APPROVAL TO APPROVE THE INITIAL 2024 TAX ROLL, WITH A LEVY OF $320,111,612, AND THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES FROM THAT. THANK YOU. TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, MR. PRESIDENT. YES, SIR. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE I MOVE THAT WE CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE GARLAND ISD TAX ROLL FOR THE TAX YEAR 2024, AS PRESENTED IN THE BOARD BOOK HERE TONIGHT. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. MILLER, SECONDED BY MR. GLICK. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? THERE IS NONE. PREPARE TO VOTE. VOTE NOW. VOTE CLOSED. THAT MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU. WE'RE MOVING TO ACTION ITEM D. [VII.D. Consider Approval of Changes to the Certified Tax Roll for Tax Year 2024 – Kristi Cooper] CONSIDER APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLL FOR TAX YEAR 2024. MISS COOPER. YES. PRESIDENT SELDERS. THIS IS THE ITEM THAT ALLOWS THE TAX ASSESSOR TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES ACCORDING TO THE CERTIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL TAX ROLL. THERE ARE NO CHANGES FROM THIS. ONCE AGAIN, IT'S JUST AN ITEM THAT MUST COME AFTER THE RATE ADOPTION. [01:00:03] THANK YOU, MR. MILLER. YES, SIR. MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE CONSIDER APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLL FOR TAX YEAR 2024, AS PRESENTED TONIGHT IN OUR BOARD BOOK. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. MILLER, SECONDED BY MR. GLICK. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? THERE IS NONE. PREPARE TO VOTE. VOTE OPEN. VOTE CLOSED. THAT MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU, MS. COOPER. ALL RIGHT. [VII.E. New Bid (BOND)] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ACTION ITEM E FOR NEW BID. THIS IS AN ITEM FROM OUR BOND, OUR SPECIAL BOND MEETING. DR. LOPEZ. YES. TRUSTEES. NORMALLY, WE DON'T LIKE TO TAKE THINGS OUT OF OUR BOND ROTATION BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP EVERYTHING CLEAN, BUT SOMETIMES TIMING DOESN'T ALLOW US TO DO THAT. SO PLEASE EXCUSE US FOR PUTTING THIS BOND ITEM FOR YOU TO APPROVE ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, BUT YOU KNOW THAT DUE TO THE TIMELINESS, WE NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MARK BOOKER. YES, SIR. TO MR. SELDERS, TO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, TO DR. LOPEZ, I WOULD DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE AGENDA ITEM THAT'S PLACED AT YOUR FOLDER, IF YOU WOULD. THE RATIONALE FOR THAT IS, DURING OUR DUE DILIGENCE BETWEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE IDENTIFIED THAT IN TECH SALES AND SERVICES, WHICH IS A VERY REPUTABLE COMPANY AND DOING BUSINESS WITH US, DID NOT HAVE THE CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THE ONE AREA IN WHICH THEY WERE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR AN AWARD. SO THE ONLY CHANGE IN THE PACKAGE IS THE IN TECH SALES AND SERVICE WAS REMOVED, AND I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD AND GO THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, WHICH IS CONTRACT NUMBER THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED 510-23-06 FOR SECURITY INTRUSION ACCESS CONTROL AND CCTV. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE FUNDING ON EXHIBIT A HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR EACH AREA. I WOULD BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM. THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE NEW BUILD. SO YOU'LL SEE THE BUDGET THAT'S BEEN SET BEFORE YOU FOR THE SECURITY CAMERA REFRESH, AS WELL AS THE SECURITY CARD ACCESS AND THE INTRUSION ALARM. SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING NOT TO NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $18 MILLION AS PRESENTED BEFORE YOU IN YOUR PACKAGE. THANK YOU, MR. BOOKER. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, TRUSTEES? ROBERT? MR. BEACH IN OUR PACKET ALSO, MARK, THERE'S A CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PURCHASE STRUCTURED CABLING SERVICES. IS THAT PART OF THIS SAME PACKET? NO, SIR. THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONCEPT. OKAY. THANK YOU. IT WAS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. YEAH. OKAY. MR. JOHNSON. MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF SECURITY INTRUSION, ACCESS CONTROL, CCTV AND PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS AS PRESENTED TONIGHT. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. JOHNSON, SECONDED BY MR. GLICK. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? THERE IS NONE. PREPARE TO VOTE. VOTE OPEN. VOTE CLOSED. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION PORTION OF OUR MEETING. [VIII. Executive Session] EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR PURPOSES PERMITTED BY TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.001A. PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.076, CONSIDERING THE DEPLOYMENT SPECIFIC OCCASIONS FOR OR IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY PERSONNEL OR DEVICES ONE. DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION REGARDING TEA'S INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS, B, PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY IN PERSON OR BY PHONE WHEN THE BOARD SEEKS THE ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY ABOUT ONE PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION TWO, A SETTLEMENT OFFER, OR THREE ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THIS CHAPTER. C, PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.074. DELIBERATION REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT DUTIES, DISCIPLINE OR DISMISSAL OF A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, OR TO HEAR A COMPLAINT OR CHARGE AGAINST AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE. ONE. CONSIDER AND DELIBERATION REGARDING THE GOOD CAUSE. TERMINATION OF THE PROBATIONARY CONTRACT OF BRANDI BURGESS. WE ARE NOW. IT IS 6:06 AND WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION. [IX. Reconvene from Executive Session for action relative to items considered during Executive Session] [01:05:06] IT IS NOW 6:39 AND WE'RE RECONVENING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. I CERTIFY THAT NOTHING WAS DISCUSSED THAT WAS NOT PROVIDED FOR IN OUR BOARD AGENDA. DO I HAVE A MOTION, MR. PRESIDENT? YES, SIR. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD VOTE TO PROPOSE THE TERMINATION OF THE PROBATIONARY CHAPTER 21 CONTRACT OF BRANDI BURGESS, AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SECONDED. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. JOHNSON, SECONDED BY MISS STANLEY. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? THERE IS NONE. WE'RE PREPARED TO VOTE. VOTE OPEN. VOTE CLOSED. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL ITEMS. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. [X. Adjournment] IT IS 6:40. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.