MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION  MINUTES January 8, 2024  The Montgomery County Board of] Education convened in a regular monthly meeting on Monday, January 8, 2024, at 6:30 pm in the Montgomery County Schools Boardroom. Board members present were Steve W. DeBerry - Chair, Tommy Blake, Angela Smith, Lynn Epps, Bryan Dozier, and Cindy Taylor. Anne Evans - Vice Chair was not present.  Chairman Steve DeBerry called the meeting to order. Mr. DeBerry moved to adopt the agenda as submitted. Lynn Epps made the motion with Tommy Blake seconding. The agenda  was accepted with unanimous approval from the board.  Chairman Steve DeBerry shared an opening devotional with a reading titled "Right Over Convenient". We are constantly faced with choices. Every day brings a series of decisions between doing what is convenient and doing what is right. Those choices often have longer term consequences than we: realize. Integrity is doing the right thing all the time even ifit may work to your disadvantage. Integrity is the internal compass that keeps you pointed in the right direction. Other people may determine your reputation but only you can determine your integrity. The choices of aj person with integrity become al blessing not only to that person but to everyone he or she relates to. Integrity is an inward characteristic with outward consequences that make a lasting  difference. Approach everything you do each day with integrity.  East Middle School student Edgar Maldonado Ascencio led the Pledge of Allegiance to  the flag of the United States of America.  No one signed up to speak during the public comments section.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Ellis and Marvin Smith for Certified and Classified Employees of the Month for East Middle School. Shawna Slack, Teacher Assistant was the classified winner. Haley. Adkins, Lead EC Teacher was the certified winner.  Dr. Ellis at this time recognized the MCS Christmas Card 2023 winner, Julia Dong from Page Street Elementary School. She was not able to be present at the meeting tonight. She  received a certificate ofrecognition and a $50 gift card.  Dr. Ellis at this time recognized the National Board Certified and Recertified Employees. Certified: Heather Gordon, MCEC, Holly Ritter, Green Ridge Elementary, Maria Borges, Green Ridge Elementary, Ashley Lynthacum, Star Elementary, and Amanda Henley, Star Elementary. Recertified: Kathryn Kimrey, Montgomery Central High School, Leslie Shoffner, Montgomery  Central High School, and Pebble Byrd, Troy Elementary.  Dr. Ellis then recognized the 2022-2023 Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Graduation rate of 100 %. Dr. Ellis asked Heather Seawel-Montgomery County Early College to  please come forward to accept the award for the school.    Dr. Ellis then recognized the 2022-2023 Top Ten School District Outstanding Graduation Rate of9 94.5%.) Dr. Ellis asked for Steve DeBerry-Chairman for the Board of Education to please  come forward to accept the award for the school district.  Dr. Ellis at this time recognized the 2023 Women's Tennis Conference Champions from Montgomery Central High School. Dr. Ellis requested the team and their coaches, Delana Cagle, and Leslie Thomas, to please come forward. This is the second year in a row that they have  earned this honor.  Dr. Ellis then recognized Genevia Drake for her 1000th point scored in women's basketball. Dr. Ellis called upon her coach Danasia Dumas to speak about this accomplishment. Ms. Dumas stated that this was the first male or female in MCHS history to achieve this  individual goal.  Chairman DeBerry requested tol hold the consent agenda until after closed session. The Chairman DeBerry called upon Marvin Smith, principal for East Middle School for their presentation on Student Engagemenvcadernp, Mr. Smith stated that middle school is just a funky age which makes student engagement and leadership difficult. I, along with Ms. King, Ms. Parsons and our staffhave tried to create more opportunities for students to take more ownership ofthings that we. have going on around our school. Wel have tried to start with a shared vision and the EMS Knight's Code: Cis for caring; O is for open minded; D is for disciplined; Ei is for engaged. We want East Middle to be a place where people feel like they belong by showing the students areas where they can "plug in" and show some talents that maybe they did not even know they had. Students who are engaged do better in school and are more hopeful about their future. The three types of engagement are cognitive, behavioral, and emotional. A few ofour engagement activities include Knightly News (student broadcast-PM announcements), Knights ont the Rise (student government), AM. Announcements (student led moring announcements), Intramurals (student organization), and Clubs (student choice activities). Students Mary Perez and Valeria Leon discussed the Knights on the Rise program. They enjoy this program because it gives them the opportunity to organize and participate in things like school spirit week. Demario McDonald then described how the intramurals gave them a chance to socialize and play with each other. Michael Slack then spoke about clubs. He stated that it brings out their competitive side and gives them a chance to socialize. Mr. Smith stated that East Middle's focus is on providing a "complete" high-quality educational experience by clubs, physical education/health, band/music, high quality instruction, social and emotional learning, and student leadership opportunities. He ended the presentation with a quote: "Some people make things happen, some  board approved unanimously.  watch things happen, while others wonder what has happened."  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Dale Ellis for Mid-Year Review Dates. Dr. Ellis presented three options: Thursday, February 15, Tuesday, February 20, or Thursday, February 22.1 Lynn Epps made the motion to approve the February 22 date with Cindy Taylor seconding.  The date was accepted with unanimous approval from the board.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Dale Ellis for results of the Central Office Survey. The survey compared the years 2019-2020 to 2023-2024. There were three questions asked in reference to each department. When I phone, the person whom I speak is personable and pleasant. When I email, phone, or visit, Ialways receive a response within a reasonable amount oftime (24 hours). When I email, phone, or visit, the information I receive is always consistent.    This year the averages for each department were above the 95% threshold and the department GPA's were all above the 3.5 threshold. We had 130 respondents which would be equal to  approximately a 30% response rate.  Chairman DeBerry called upon Dr. Dale Ellis for the Superintendent's Comments. Dr. Ellis stated that ifyou pay attention to social media, Ia am sure there are plenty ofp people upset with me right now. One oft the hardest calls we ever have to make is with weather. When you talk about a weather forecast that states that it may do this, ori it may do that or the ones that say something is possible because this also means that it is not possible as well. II love the ones that say that we are absolutely going to receive eight inches of snow because then we know that we are going to cancel school. The storm system we are dealing with right now is one oft those that I know that some oft the counties south and east ofu us have already made the call to cancel school for tomorrow. Our basic understanding of the forecast for tomorrow is that we will see sustained winds of20-25 miles per hour with the possibility of gusts of 401 miles per hour after 2:00 pm. Once again, we do not know. If feel we will be able to look ati it much better int the morning and know if anything of concern is going to come our way. As was mentioned earlier in our meeting, all after-school activities have already been cancelled for tomorrow as this is ai much easier call to make. But when you cancel school, it always creates an issue for parents, it creates an issue later down the road when a child may think they have a day offi in February and all ofa sudden, they don't due to this day being missed. We try to take all of this into consideration. I have said all oft this because as of right now I do not see the need to close schools but of course that could change tomorrow. Ifwe come in tomorrow and wel learn that at 3:00, right when our buses would be on the road, there is aj possibility of 50 mile per hour wind gusts, then yes, we will be letting go: around lunch time. This then creates a separate issue for parents to deal with. So, we try with the best of our ability to adhere to the schedule listed on our school calendar. However, weare not infallible and are by no means perfect, but we do want the community to know that we do put al lot of thought, effort, and time into this decision. I cannot even tell you how many discussions wel have had today regarding whether or not we should have school tomorrow. The consensus right now is yes but like with anything if conditions change that decision could change as well. Ms. Epps requested that before we move into closed session, she would like to say something. She requested that we all remember the tragedies that wel have had in our county involving our students. Losing a student is something no one wants to ever have to deal with but also there are still several that were injured and are still dealing with those injuries. II know of one fund raising event that took place over the weekend that appeared to be very successful. She requested that we continue to keep these students and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Chairman DeBerry then asked for a motion to go into closed session to discuss personnel and consult the board attorney. Bryan Dozier made the motion, with Lynn Epps seconding. The  board approved entering into closed session unanimously.  After closed session the following items were approved: Board Minutes from December 4, 2023    2) Personnel and Auxiliary Report  6) Green Peading 2023 EACerps recemmendation, fur ofthe School Record Beplasing Fdlicia nhour ML. Gilead Ves Sswart 2024 "Grade feacher lipon ation, approal fprincipaln faremplaymeatel ofthe aitoningp probationary cuntractsforc currentlye emplayed personnel fur ibe2 years asprovidedhy Generals Statutel 115C.325: LashaundiR Ryan. EsiMiddles School, ESLI Teichr Choe Vuncinon. Momgomery Centralllighs School. Sciencel Teacher  3) Budget Resolution  441Pagesireel. Bor4 427 TrOy. 27371-0427  Overals. these    Budget Amendment #4 Montgomery County Administration Unit STATEFUNDS  Budget Amendment #4 LOCALFUNDS  DEHBSE  ExDeniss  NatChannein inLocalBudget  14145.539 S $25.09  $7,084,916.90 57,084,016.99)  eApesei-minc-rmA Amendidhulyut  BudgetA Amendment#4 CAPTALOVTAYFUND  Budget Amendment# #4 FEDERALFUNDS  rietas  $131,3439  51340,8542  CARItHOHEARL  Budget Si9SDAB552  IDNUTRITIONFUND  19.9  Budgot Amendment#4    4) Bus Garage HVAC Recommendation  pamery Cosity Busdiape- DerD Pande  k--rEN Cany! lrdufEauratien jscl. Pesse Samprmey Cony Budor  y KEmhi  DIVISIONOA  1773.  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ONT providet thec andstucture feranya andall jact. andiaendw ATIONSOE EPARTIES thisc tharthisd thel wy wark gether such: mannert thar effective wintain. and and  rasgndnkroamdertas" incneol  enrollme Emplay Compensat Cellaboratew withR naintenance  unds proidedinTSL grant ceremanies. ciatesi dataccilection, data and  Pany  Ageanenf sgencesor enhue andall this/ halls raach yan.  anye SNERALF FKUMINNS ThePartiesa er  RIZATIONA ANDENECITION heir  This shall bes signed by Eury Cansulring Services, Inc. unt Muntguery County  bas  enices, Sipre Mongumeryt Couny Schouls  ahih appoosals    6) Early Graduates-additional  Troy, 441Pagest Northo Streel.P.0.B01427 Carollna 27371-0427 PBON  Upon return to open session, Chairman DeBerry asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Bryan Dozier made the motion with Cindy Taylor seconding; thei meeting was duly adjourned. The next regular meeting will be held on Monday, February 5, 2024, at 6:30 pm at the Montgomery  County Central Office.  Steven W.I DéBerry,  DaleEllis, Ed. D., Secretary  Lr Sali