[00:00:08]
          THIS STUDY SESSION OF THE HENRY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. IN ORDER TO ENSURE PRODUCTIVE MEETING, ATTENDEES AT THE MEETING HAVE AGREED TO THE DECORUM EXPECTED OF A MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. DISRUPTION TO CONDUCTING THE BUSINESS OF THE BOARD WILL RESULT IN THE BOARD MOVING TO RECESS, A VIRTUAL FORMAT OR SUSPENSION OF THE MEETING TO A 
          [A. CALL TO ORDER]
LATER DATE. WE HAVE A PRODUCTIVE MEETING AHEAD AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE CHAIR. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS RIDDLE, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED STUDY SESSION OF THE HENRY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH AT 4:00 PM, AND WE WILL BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON BY ME TURNING IT OVER 
          [B. SUPERINTENDENT'S WELCOME]
TO DOCTOR PACE FOR HIS WELCOME. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER MEETING OF THE HENRY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. AS WE OPEN TODAY'S MEETING, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE PASSING OF A MEMBER OF OUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TEAM. THANK YOU. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STUDENTS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT LEADERS WHO JOINED US AUGUST 26TH AT THE MCDONOUGH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FOR THE STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS ADDRESS. THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE POWER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN HENRY COUNTY AND SPOTLIGHT THE EXCEPTIONAL TEACHING AND LEARNING THAT GOES ON EVERY DAY IN OUR SCHOOLS. A FULL VIDEO OF THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE NOW AT OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. IN HONOR OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MONTH AND THE NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE AND REMEMBRANCE ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF THE MANY FIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. IF WE HAVE ANY FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE AUDIENCE, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED AT THIS TIME? LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE ANYWAY. THANK YOU. FIRST RESPONDERS. BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 15TH, WE WILL OBSERVE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ACROSS HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS. A TIME TO CELEBRATE THE VIBRANT CULTURES, RICH HISTORIES, AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITIES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH AT THE FAIRVIEW PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES MY 
          [C. BOARD MEMBER ITEMS]
WELCOME. AND I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR PACE. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM C, WHICH IS OUR BOARD MEMBER ITEMS, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR VICE CHAIR, MISS EDWARDS, FOR HER ITEM THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND GOOD EVENING. TODAY I WILL SHARE A FEW TALKING POINTS REGARDING THE EAST COMMUNITY ADVISORY ORIENTATION MEETING HELD A FEW WEEKS AGO. WE RECENTLY HELD THE EAST COMMUNITY ADVISORY ORIENTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND DISCUSSED THE FOLLOWING. NUMBER ONE, WE DISCUSSED THE HISTORY OF EAST IN HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS. NUMBER TWO, WE DISCUSSED THE PARTICIPANTS. THE PARTICIPANTS LEARNED THAT HENRY COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED SIX DIFFERENT EAST BLOSS REFERENDUMS SINCE GEORGIA. THE GEORGIA CONSTITUTION WAS AMENDED IN 1996 TO ALLOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THROUGH EAST SPLOST FUNDS. AND SINCE THAT TIME, A PENNY FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IN HENRY COUNTY HAS BEEN ROUTED TO SUPPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS. ALSO, EXAMPLES OF THE PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH EAST BLOSS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF THERE WERE NOT SHARED AT THE COMMUNITY, IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN POSSIBLE, AND THEY WERE SHARED AT THE COMMUNITY OR ADVISORY ORIENTATION. IN ANOTHER POINT THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS SAFETY AND SECURITY UPGRADES. NUMBER FIVE STUDENT AND TEACHER TECHNOLOGY DEVICES, NETWORK SECURITY UPGRADES, SCHOOL BUSSES, NEW CONSTRUCTION SUCH AS BIRCH CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE STEM SCHOOL ARE ALSO EXAMPLES. BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS ROOFS AND NEW HVAC UNITS FOR SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AS WELL. IT WAS A PLEASURE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PRESENT AND TO HEAR THE SHARED INFORMATION PRESENTED TO OUR VALUABLE STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THESE CONVERSATIONS AS WE BEGIN PLANNING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF EAST PLUS SEVEN. MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS MY REPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS EDWARDS, FOR THAT. 
          [D. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS]
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE AT THAT MEETING ALSO. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO D OUR 
          [00:05:06]
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH ITEM D1A DOCTOR PACE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM FOR INFORMATIONAL ITEM D1A STRATEGIC PLAN ANNUAL REPORT. 
          MRS. SUMMER COX, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, STAFF AND OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS TO PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR FOUR. MRS. COX. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT PACE. TODAY, I AM PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU A SUMMARY OF THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR FOUR OF THE COMMUNITY INSPIRED STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS BOARD'S COMMUNITY INSPIRED FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN IDENTIFIES FIVE STRATEGIC ACTIONS TO GUIDE OUR WORK THROUGH THE END OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. WE ARE ADVANCING OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS, SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE LEADERS AND TEACHERS, PROVIDING MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY, DEVELOPING SUPPORT STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES, AND BUILDING SYSTEMS TO ENSURE A HIGH PERFORMING OPERATIONAL CULTURE. HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS IS THE EIGHTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA, WITH OVER 43,000 STUDENTS ACROSS 53 SCHOOLS. AS THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN HENRY COUNTY, WE EMPLOY CLOSE TO 6200 PEOPLE. 
          THIS BOARD'S FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN WAS CLEARLY DEVELOPED, WITH A FOCUS ON STUDENTS AND STAFF, AS WELL AS FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. TODAY'S REPORT WILL PROVIDE UPDATES ON YEAR FOUR PROGRESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO INCLUDE STRATEGIC ACTION HIGHLIGHTS, PRIORITY STUDENT OUTCOMES, FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS, AND TO LOOK FORWARD INTO DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXT FIVE YEAR COMMUNITY INSPIRED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2026 AND THROUGH 2031. LET'S START WITH STRATEGIC ACTION ONE, WHERE THIS BOARD HAS INVESTED $17.7 MILLION TO DATE TO ADVANCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES FOR ALL STUDENTS IN PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE IN YEAR FOUR. SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS INCLUDED $5.4 MILLION TO CONTINUE THE BUILD AND DESIGN OF THE STEM HIGH SCHOOL, AND ADDITIONAL FUNDS TOWARD INCREASING ACCESS TO ENGINEERING PATHWAYS, MEDIA CENTER RESOURCES, AND ORCHESTRA PROGRAMING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. MOVING FORWARD, THIS BOARD HAS COMMITTED $8.8 MILLION ANNUALLY TO PROVIDE PERSONNEL SUPPORTING ELEMENTARY, STEM, ELEMENTARY, WORLD LANGUAGE AND ORCHESTRA AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL. OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN YEAR FOUR INCLUDE A FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AS A KEY DRIVER TO IMPROVE STUDENT LITERACY, WITH HIGH IMPACT INSTRUCTIONAL READING STRATEGIES ALIGNED TO THE HENRY READS INITIATIVE, AND AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON CONSTRUCTING TEXTS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO USE MULTIPLE TECHNIQUES FOR WRITTEN EXPRESSION. THE GIFTED ENDORSEMENT PROGRAM WAS EXPANDED TO REFINE COURSE OFFERINGS AND PROVIDE MORE PRACTICAL, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, WHERE THEY ARE PREPARED TO LEVERAGE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT TALENTS AND CHALLENGE STUDENTS WITH INQUIRY BASED DIALOG. STEM LAB UPGRADES WERE COMPLETED WITH ROBOTICS INSTRUCTION LAUNCHED IN 15 SCHOOLS AND CODING INSTRUCTION AVAILABLE AT EVERY BASE SITE. 
          ACCESS TO WORLD LANGUAGES WAS EXPANDED, WITH THE FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS AND CURRICULUM ALIGNED TEXTBOOKS AND RESOURCES. FINE ARTS CELEBRATED SEVERAL HONORS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS ACROSS CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA, WITH 90% OF HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA PROGRAMS EARNING SUPERIOR RATINGS AT THE LARGE GROUP PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, AND ALL THEATER CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT UPGRADED WITH NEW LIGHTING AND SOUND EQUIPMENT. WITH 70% OF TACTICS AND STRATEGIC ACTION ONE COMPLETED AND PROGRESS IN READING, GIFTED IDENTIFICATION, STEM LAB UPGRADES, FINE ARTS AND WORLD LANGUAGES. WE HAVE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS AT EVERY LEVEL. 
          STRATEGIC ACTION TWO ENSURES THAT WE ARE ADVANCING EFFECTIVE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. THIS BOARD HAS INVESTED $4.6 MILLION TO DATE, WITH SOME INVESTMENTS IN YEAR FOUR, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF DATA SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR STUDENT OUTCOMES AND TARGETED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, LEADERS AND STAFF. AN ADDITIONAL 2.2 MILLION HAS BEEN COMMITTED ANNUALLY FOR DATA CLERKS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR REGISTRATION AND MATRICULATION, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK IS FOCUSED ON INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING AND THE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING FRAMEWORK, WITH ATTENTION ON FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES TO ENSURE TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM STRATEGIES TO MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A ROBUST LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE TO INFORM A SCOPE AND SEQUENCE THAT MEETS THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF OUR LEADERS AS THEY SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS. WITH 71% OF TACTICS AND STRATEGIC ACTION TWO COMPLETED. ALL OF THESE EFFORTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ADVANCING A CULTURE OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. STRATEGIC ACTION THREE 
          [00:10:01]
PRIORITIZES CONNECTIVITY FOR STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. TO DATE, $1.1 MILLION HAVE BEEN EXPENDED WITH YEAR FOUR INVESTMENTS, INCLUDING TRANSLATION SERVICES TO IMPROVE ACCESS FOR FAMILIES AND THE LAUNCH OF THE HENRY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION. TOP ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN YEAR FOUR INCLUDE THAT HENRY PARTNERS LAUNCHED A WEBSITE THAT NOW SERVES AS THE CENTRAL REFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP RESOURCES. WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROCEDURES FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MENTORS, STREAMLINED RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE COHESIVE COLLABORATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VALUED STAKEHOLDERS. THE HENRY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY OF 2025 AND HAS CREATED A POSITIVE COMMUNITY PRESENCE WITH AN ACTIVE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE, SUCH AS THE STUFF THE BUS CAMPAIGN AND GIVING BACK THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE TEACHER SUPPLY STORE AND MANY GRANTS. ACCESSIBILITY OF THE ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN EXPANDED, WITH THE NEW MOBILE OPTION AND AVAILABILITY IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. WE ARE NOW OFFERING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER CLASSES AT MULTIPLE COMMUNITY LOCATIONS TO FOCUS ON CAREER READINESS, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL AND DIGITAL LITERACY. WITH 55% OF TACTICS FOR STRATEGIC ACTION THREE COMPLETED, YEAR FIVE WILL FOCUS ON ADVANCING THESE INITIATIVES IN ACTIONS. WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS SERVING AS KEY CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR SUCCESSES IN ADVANCING CONNECTIVITY FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND WE KNOW THAT HAVING THESE PARTNERSHIPS IS VITAL TO CONTINUING ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. STRATEGIC ACTION FOUR FOCUSES ON ADVANCING STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES. WITH ROUGHLY $17 MILLION INVESTED TO DATE IN RELATED INITIATIVES. YEAR FOUR SAW 1.9 MILLION OF THOSE FUNDS COMMITTED TO IMPROVEMENTS IN AREAS SUCH AS THERAPEUTIC BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS, BEHAVIORAL REPLACEMENT STRATEGIES, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A ROBUST DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO ASSIST WITH ADVISEMENT AND POST-SECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. THE BOARD IS ALSO COMMITTED TO AN ADDITIONAL $5.9 MILLION ANNUALLY TO PROVIDE A MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACILITATOR FOR EACH SCHOOL LOCATION. ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN YEAR FOUR INCLUDE. IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE, SCHOOL WIDE COUNSELING PROGRAM THAT PRIORITIZES DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING FOR STUDENTS. 
          UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES SUCH AS HENRY FUTURES, AND ACTIVITIES TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY WITH THE CREATION OF A WELLNESS POLICY, MONTHLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTERS FOR STAFF, AND THE EXPANSION OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROVIDE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACILITATORS, AND COLLABORATION WITH CARE TEAMS. SUPPORTED STUDENT ATTENDANCE, WITH ALMOST 10,000 STUDENTS IMPROVING THEIR ATTENDANCE. AFTER SUPPORT AND INTERVENTION WAS PROVIDED. THE DISTRICT ALSO EXPANDED ONGOING SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS THROUGH ITEMS SUCH AS POP UP WEAPONS DETECTION, SCREENINGS AT SCHOOL SITES TO PRIORITIZE SAFE AND SECURE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. STRATEGIC ACTION FOUR HAS 58% OF ALL TACTICS COMPLETED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FOCUS AREA AS WE MOVE THROUGH YEAR FIVE OF IMPLEMENTATION, WE KNOW THAT STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELLNESS ARE VITAL TO ENSURING EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE SUPPORT STRUCTURES NEEDED TO SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS. STRATEGIC ACTION FIVE ALSO SAW ADVANCEMENTS IN CREATING A HIGH PERFORMING OPERATIONAL CULTURE IN YEAR FOUR, WITH 15.4 MILLION INVESTED IN THIS YEAR ALONE. EXAMPLES OF INVESTMENTS INCLUDE ALMOST 13 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND REPLACEMENT OF SCHOOL FURNITURE, BAND UNIFORMS, CHORAL SUPPLIES AND ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT, AND ALMOST 3 MILLION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM TO STREAMLINE FINANCIAL, PROCUREMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES. TO DATE, THIS BOARD HAS INVESTED $30.7 MILLION ON THIS STRATEGIC ACTION. CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW STEM HIGH SCHOOL ALSO BEGAN IN YEAR FOUR, WITH A MUCH ANTICIPATED OPENING SCHEDULED FOR FALL OF 2027. FINANCIAL SERVICES BEGAN IMPLEMENTING THE NEW ERP SYSTEM IN JANUARY OF 2024, AND HUMAN RESOURCES FOLLOWED IN JANUARY 2025 TO COMPLETE A REPLACEMENT OF ANTIQUATED SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. 
          THE USE OF A NEW PLATFORM HAS TRANSFORMED HOW WE DO BUSINESS AND IMPROVED OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE. 73% OF TACTICS AND STRATEGIC ACTION FIVE ARE COMPLETE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON A HIGH PERFORMING OPERATIONAL CULTURE TO ENSURE THE NECESSARY SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ARE IN PLACE TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PROCESSES FOR HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS. THREE PRIORITY STUDENT OUTCOMES, OR SSOS, WERE ESTABLISHED AT THE AT THE INITIATION OF THIS BOARD'S FIVE YEAR COMMUNITY INSPIRED STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE THE WORK THROUGH MEASURABLE GOALS AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES. AS YOU MAY RECALL, THIS BOARD MADE A FEW MID-POINT ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SSOS IN JANUARY 2024 AND HAS CONTINUED THESE UPDATES BY 
          [00:15:04]
DETERMINING ADDITIONAL GOALS FOR THE REMAINING METRICS. PRIORITY STUDENT OUTCOME NUMBER ONE FOCUSES ON LITERACY PROFICIENCY, WHERE WE HAVE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS IN READING GROWTH FROM GRADE TO GRADE AND READING AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL ON LOCAL OR STATE ASSESSMENTS AT GRADES K13, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND A COMBINED DISTRICT MEASURE THAT ENCOMPASSES THIRD GRADE, SIXTH GRADE, EIGHTH GRADE, AND AMERICAN LITERATURE. WHILE WE CURRENTLY MEASURE READING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL FOR 11TH GRADERS, THAT WILL SHIFT NEXT YEAR BASED ON ASSESSMENT CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL, LITERACY IS THE DRIVING FORCE FOR THE HENRY READS INITIATIVE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HIGH IMPACT INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO MOVE OUR STUDENTS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. PRIORITY STUDENT OUTCOME NUMBER TWO FOCUSES ON READINESS TO LEARN WHERE WE HAVE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS IN BEGINNING KINDERGARTEN, READY PARTICIPATION IN ADVANCED COURSEWORK, PARTICIPATION IN WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAMS, STUDENT CONNECTIVITY, AND STUDENT ATTENDANCE. WHILE WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO MEASURE STUDENT CONNECTIVITY IN A MANNER COMPARABLE TO HOW THE BASELINE WAS ESTABLISHED DUE TO CHANGES IN THE STATE CLIMATE SURVEY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON ALL OTHER AREAS OF THE READINESS TO LEARN, SO. PRIORITY STUDENT OUTCOME NUMBER THREE FOCUSES ON STUDENTS BEING COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE READY, WHERE WE HAVE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS AND GRADUATES. MEETING COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION, GRADUATES COMPLETING INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS OR CAREER PATHWAYS, AND STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE ON THE PSAT AND EIGHTH AND 10TH GRADE, AS WELL AS THE ACT AND SAT GRADUATING STUDENTS WHO ARE PREPARED FOR SUCCESS AND WHATEVER POST-SECONDARY OPTION THEY CHOOSE, IS A TESTAMENT TO EVERY TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR, SUPPORT STAFF, FAMILY MEMBER, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER WHO INVESTS IN THEM FROM THEIR FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN TO THE TURN OF THE TASSEL. WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TOWARD IMPROVED OUTCOMES IN THIS AREA BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS THE CULMINATION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THIS BOARD'S COMMITMENT TO EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY STUDENT. WE ARE PLEASED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT 16 OF 20 MEASURED AREAS HAVE SHOWN A YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE, AND 25% HAVE MET THIS BOARD'S IDENTIFIED GOAL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. WHILE THE PROGRESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN YEAR FOUR REPRESENT A COMMITMENT TO THE SPORTS COMMUNITY INSPIRED FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, THIS BOARD HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE OF HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS, WITH ALMOST 35 MILLION FROM THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, CLOSE TO 17 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND JUST OVER 19.5 MILLION FROM THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND. WITH THESE INVESTMENTS, THIS BOARD HAS IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES FOR ALL STUDENTS BY PROVIDING ROBOTICS AND CODING OPPORTUNITIES, EXPANDING ORCHESTRA PROGRAMING, INCREASING GIFTED IDENTIFICATION, EXPANDING THE WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAM, PROVIDING NECESSARY FINE ARTS EQUIPMENT, AND PRIORITIZING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. YOU HAVE ADVANCED CONNECTIVITY FOR STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES, AND THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH INVESTMENTS AND ENROLLMENT AND REGISTRATION PROCESSES. YOU BIRTHED THE HENRY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION, STREAMLINED OPPORTUNITIES FOR MENTORSHIP AND SPONSORSHIP, AND CREATED OPTIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMAS. YOUR INVESTMENTS IN STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES HAVE LED TO A COMPREHENSIVE, SCHOOL WIDE COUNSELING PROGRAM, SUCCESSFUL STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PARTNERSHIPS, AND ENHANCEMENTS TO IMPROVE SAFE LEARNING AND WORKING ENVIRONMENTS. AND THIS YEAR'S THIS DISTRICT'S HIGH PERFORMING OPERATIONAL CULTURE HAS BEEN ENHANCED BY THIS BOARD'S INVESTMENTS AND GROWTH, AND PLANNING TO SUPPORT FURNITURE REPLACEMENT, BAND UNIFORM REPLACEMENT, ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT AND MUSIC EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT AN ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM KNOWN AS ACCESS. ANOTHER KEY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE STEM HIGH SCHOOL AND THE NEW TRANSPORTATION FACILITY. TO DATE, THIS BOARD HAS INVESTED $70 MILLION TO ENSURE HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS CONTINUES THE PURSUIT OF EXCEPTIONAL TO REALIZE THE COMMUNITY'S VISION THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO YEAR FIVE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON KEY REMAINING TACTICS SUCH AS READING AND WRITING, STEM FINE ARTS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, THE HENRY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION, STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE WELLNESS, HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, AND CAREER PATHWAYS EXPANSION. WE HAVE ALSO ALREADY BEGUN PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXT FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WILL CAPTURE THIS COMMUNITY'S VISION BEGINNING JULY 2026 THROUGH JUNE 2031. LAST WEEK, WE KICKED OFF CLUSTER COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, WHERE WE ARE SEEKING FEEDBACK FROM FAMILIES AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. A COMMUNITY SURVEY WILL ALSO BE SHARED IN THE COMING WEEKS TO ENSURE ALL VOICES ARE HEARD. 
          BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER, A PLANNING TEAM COMPOSED OF STAFF MEMBERS AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS WILL REVIEW COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, ANALYZE RELATED DATA, IDENTIFY GOAL AREAS AND KEY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS, AND BEGIN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DISTRICT STRATEGY MAP. THESE MEETINGS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY STAFF ACTION TEAM MEETINGS, WHERE ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION WILL BE UTILIZED TO DEVELOP KEY GOAL AREA INITIATIVES AND 
          [00:20:02]
RELATED ACTION STEPS, AND TO FINALIZE THE DISTRICT STRATEGY MAP IN APRIL. THIS BOARD WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED DISTRICT STRATEGY MAP IN PREPARATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN TO BEGIN IN JULY 2026. 
          SUPERINTENDENT PACE, THIS CONCLUDES ALL THAT I HAVE PREPARED AND I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. COX AND MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A FEW KEY HIGHLIGHTS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THIS DISCUSSION SHOWS HOW HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS VISION OF LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY STARTS WITH OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION'S CORE BELIEFS AND COMMITMENT OF GOALS FOR THE FOR THE SYSTEM AS ARTICULATED WITHIN THIS STRATEGIC PLAN. OUR LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY REMAINS AN IMPORTANT FOCUS NEXT TO STATE LEVEL ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS. THIS IS A GOVERNANCE TEAM THAT IS HAVING PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT MEASURING PROGRESS AGAINST THE ORGANIZATION'S INITIATIVES AND PRIORITY STUDENT OUTCOMES. THERE IS NO GUESSING ABOUT WHERE THE BOARD HAS INVESTED ITS RESOURCES. 
          IT'S CLEARLY LAID OUT HERE IN A TRANSPARENT WAY, AND WE ARE CLEAR ABOUT OUR CELEBRATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. IT IS ALSO CLEAR THAT THIS BOARD TAKES SERIOUSLY ITS ROLE IN PRIORITIZING THE OUTCOMES FOR THIS DISTRICT, WHICH COMES FROM BOTH THE COMMUNITY, FAMILIES AND STATE METRICS. THIS TARGETED FOCUS ON DISTRICT WIDE PRACTICES AND OUTCOMES IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE AWARD WINNING MODEL OF UNIFIED GOVERNANCE DEMONSTRATED BY OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN ANNUAL REPORT, YEAR FOUR AND REMAIN AVAILABLE TO OUR BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, DOCTOR PACE. AND THANK YOU, MRS. COX, FOR THOSE WONDERFUL PRESENTATIONS. DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, MISS EDWARDS? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          REGARDING YEAR FOUR, YOU MENTIONED THERE WAS AN ENGLISH ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM. ARE THOSE PROGRAMS IN EVERY SCHOOL K THROUGH 12. THAT PROGRAM IS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT THREE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY SITES SO THAT THEY MAY TAKE CLASSES IN AREAS DEALING WITH FINANCE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS TO HELP THEM IN DAY TO DAY LIFE. OH, OKAY. THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MRS. EDWARDS. MISS CARTER. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS COX. I'M SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS CRAZY. 2031. THAT'S CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MRS. CARTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION. IT'S ALWAYS JUST SO AMAZING TO SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN THIS ORGANIZATION MAKES HAPPEN EVERY DAY. IT'S AMAZING TO THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH THIS ORGANIZATION HAS TRANSFORMED SINCE WE BEGAN THIS STRATEGIC PLAN. BUT I KNOW THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING, AND WE ALL WANT SO MUCH MORE FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND SO I'M EXCITED FOR WHAT THE NEXT PLAN WILL BRING. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE SO WONDERFUL. SO THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR NEXT INFORMATIONAL ITEM, WHICH IS D TO A DOCTOR PACE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FOR OUR NEXT INFORMATIONAL ITEM D TO A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAY. I'LL ASK DOCTOR JOHNSON, CHIEF LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE OFFICER, TO COME TO THE PODIUM FOR THIS INFORMATION ITEM. DOCTOR JOHNSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT PACE. THIS AFTERNOON, I WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE DISTRICT'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND THE PLAN FOR OUR UPCOMING ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAYS. ONE OF THIS BOARD'S CORE BELIEFS THAT EFFECTIVE TEACHERS, LEADERS, AND STAFF PRODUCE EXCELLENT RESULTS ISN'T JUST A STATEMENT. IT IS EVIDENCED BY THE DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR EMPLOYEES, AND IT'S THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND EVERYTHING CONTAINED IN THIS PRESENTATION. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DOES NOT STOP IN HURON COUNTY SCHOOLS AND IS CRITICAL TO OUR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS. THIS SUMMER, OUR TEACHERS, LEADERS, AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS OUR SUMMER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, WHERE LEADERS AND THEIR TEAMS WERE PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN PRODUCTIVE LEARNING THAT FOCUSED ON SKILL BUILDING AND CORE LEADERSHIP PRACTICES. DURING THE SUMMER LITERACY SUMMIT, INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS WERE DEEPLY ENGAGED WITH LEARNING IN PREPARATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL ROLLOUT OF THE NEW ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS, AND WE BEGAN OUR FIFTH COHORT OF THE ALLIANCE OF TEACHER LEADERS, WHICH IS DESIGNATED DESIGNED TO BUILD THE LEADERSHIP CAPACITY OF TEACHERS WHO WANT TO REMAIN IN THE CLASSROOM BUT WISH TO HAVE AN INSTRUCTIONAL IMPACT BEYOND THE FOUR WALLS OF THEIR CLASSROOM. WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE PLAYS A ROLE IN STUDENT SUCCESS, INVESTING IN OUR STAFF THROUGH OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS THESE IS CRUCIAL TO KEEPING OUR EDUCATORS ENGAGED AND ENERGIZED, WHICH IN TURN WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES. AFTER A SUMMER FULL 
          [00:25:01]
OF LEARNING, THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN WITH A GREAT DEAL OF ENERGY. WE MADE A POINT OF WELCOMING AND PROVIDING PREPARING ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, FROM OUR NEWEST TEACHERS TO OUR VETERAN TEAM MEMBERS. WE WERE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM OUR ORIENTATION OF NEW EMPLOYEES. ONE NEW TEAM MEMBER SAID THEY FELT WELCOMED INTO A FAMILY, WHICH SPEAKS TO THE CULTURE WE ARE COMMITTED TO BUILDING. THE DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY ON JULY 28TH ALSO PROVIDED IMMEDIATE, ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS, SUCH AS THE IMPORTANCE OF USING WAIT TIME IN OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS TO EFFECTIVELY SCAFFOLD CONTENT FOR STUDENTS. WE CONTINUALLY, CONTINUOUSLY MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THROUGH FEEDBACK SURVEYS. THESE SURVEYS ARE ANALYZED BY OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY STRENGTHS AND AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT. ULTIMATELY, THE DATA IS TRIANGULATED BY COMPARING THE SELF-REPORTED SURVEY FEEDBACK WITH CHANGING EMPLOYEE PRACTICE AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DATA. THIS SCHOOL YEAR, OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF IS FOCUSING ON FOUR KEY AREAS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. WE'RE NOT JUST OFFERING ONE OFF TRAININGS. WE'RE IMPLEMENTING AN ONGOING, SUSTAINED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORKS, RIGOROUS QUESTIONING, FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT, AND TARGETED SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION. OUR DATA SHOWS THAT BY ENSURING HIGH QUALITY CORE INSTRUCTION, WE WILL SEE ACCELERATED GAINS IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OVER TIME. THESE FOUR AREAS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING. INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORKS ARE THE BLUEPRINTS FOR TEACHING. THEY ARE STRUCTURED APPROACHES THAT GUIDE EVERY TEACHER ON HOW TO DESIGN AND DELIVER LESSONS, ENSURING THEY KNOW WHAT TO TEACH, HOW TO TEACH IT, AND HOW TO MEASURE STUDENT LEARNING. INSTEAD OF EVERY TEACHER DEVELOPING THEIR OWN UNIQUE APPROACH, THESE FRAMEWORKS PROVIDE A CONSISTENT SET OF RESEARCH BASED BEST PRACTICES AND EXPECTATIONS. THIS MEANS NO MATTER WHICH CLASSROOM A STUDENT IS IN, THEY'RE RECEIVING THE SAME HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION. IT CREATES A POWERFUL CONTINUITY THAT BENEFITS EVERY CHILD. NEXT, WE HAVE RIGOROUS QUESTIONING. THIS GOES BEYOND ASKING STUDENTS TO RECALL MEMORIZED FACTS. WE'RE TRAINING OUR TEACHERS TO CHALLENGE STUDENTS TO THINK DEEPLY. THIS MEANS ASKING OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS THAT REQUIRE STUDENTS TO CONNECT IDEAS, ANALYZE INFORMATION, AND JUSTIFY THEIR ANSWERS. THIS PRACTICE IS ESSENTIAL FOR HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND A MORE SOPHISTICATED UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX IDEAS. IT APPEARS IT PREPARES THEM FOR A FUTURE WHERE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, NOT JUST REMEMBER INFORMATION. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IS A CONTINUOUS, ONGOING PROCESS THAT HELPS TEACHERS CHECK FOR STUDENT UNDERSTANDING DURING A LESSON. 
          IT'S A QUICK CHECK IN THAT ALLOWS TEACHERS TO SEE WHO IS GRASPING THE MATERIAL AND WHO IS STRUGGLING. THIS PROCESS ALLOWS TEACHERS TO ADJUST THEIR INSTRUCTION IMMEDIATELY TO ADDRESS STUDENT NEEDS. FINALLY, WE'RE FOCUSING ON TARGETED SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION. THIS IS A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STRATEGY WHERE A TEACHER WORKS WITH A SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE A COMMON LEARNING NEED. THIS PROVIDES STUDENTS NEED SPACE INSTRUCTION THAT SIMPLY ISN'T POSSIBLE IN A WHOLE CLASS SETTING. RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE TARGETED SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION LEARN MORE THAN THOSE WHO ONLY RECEIVE WHOLE GROUP INSTRUCTION. IT'S A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM, ENSURING THAT EVERY STUDENT GETS THE SPECIFIC HELP THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. THESE FOUR AREAS ARE NOT ABSTRACT CONCEPTS. 
          THEY ARE THE CORE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCELERATING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THIS YEAR, BY FOCUSING ON PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN THESE AREAS, WE'RE BUILDING A STRONGER, MORE CONSISTENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERY STUDENT IN OUR DISTRICT TO ENSURE OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOCUS AREAS ARE IMPLEMENTED, OUR TEACHERS ARE ENGAGING IN A CURRICULUM BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SERIES. THIS SERIES PROVIDES TEACHERS WITH LEARNING THAT DIRECTLY CONNECTS TO THE SPECIFIC MATERIALS THEY USE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY. THE FRAMEWORK IS SIMPLE. WE INTRODUCE THE CURRICULUM AND STRATEGIES, HELP TEACHERS INTERNALIZE THE CONTENT, AND THEN SUPPORT THEM AS THEY IMPLEMENT IT WITH THEIR STUDENTS. THIS THEORY PROVIDES TEACHERS WITH TANGIBLE RESOURCES LIKE MODEL LESSONS, PRE-PLANNED QUESTIONS, AND PACING CHECK INS, ALL DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THEIR TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS. ON FEBRUARY 10TH, 2025, GUIDED BY FEEDBACK FROM OUR STAFF AND COMMUNITY, THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED SCHOOL CALENDARS THAT INCLUDE ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAYS BEGINNING THIS SCHOOL YEAR. THESE DAYS WILL PROVIDE OUR TEACHERS WITH ADDITIONAL TIME FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, WHICH IS OUR DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION AND ULTIMATELY IN THE SUCCESS OF EVERY STUDENT IN OUR TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES ABILITY TO ENGAGE FULLY IN THEIR ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAYS, THE BASE PROGRAM WILL OFFER A STRUCTURED DAY CARE SERVICE FOR CHILDREN OF EMPLOYEES ON ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAYS. THIS PROGRAM IS EXCLUSIVELY FOR K-5 STUDENTS OF SCHOOL AND DISTRICT BASED STAFF WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. A $10 FEE PER CHILD WILL COVER BREAKFAST, LUNCH, A SNACK, AND ALL SUPPLIES FOR ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES. THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE FROM 7:45 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M. STAFF MUST REGISTER THEIR CHILDREN FOR SERVICES AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAY. THE PROGRAM WILL OPERATE USING A CLUSTER MODEL AS AT THE LOCATIONS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN, AND STAFF MAY REGISTER FOR THEIR STUDENT TO ATTEND ANY OF THE CLUSTER LOCATIONS THAT ARE OPEN. THE STUDENTS ATTENDANCE 
          [00:30:04]
ZONE DOES NOT HAVE ANY BEARING ON THE SITE CHOICE. ON THE ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAY. THE ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAYS ON OCTOBER 10TH AND MARCH 13TH ARE INTENDED TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OF OUR STAFF. A PORTION OF THE DAY IS DEDICATED TO PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, WITH A BLOCK FOR DISTRICT WIDE SESSIONS, FOLLOWED BY SCHOOL BASED, DATA DRIVEN LEARNING. THE STRUCTURE ALLOWS INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF TO RECEIVE TARGETED SUPPORT BASED ON THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF EACH SCHOOL. DEDICATED TEACHER WORK TIME WILL BE PROVIDED FOR LESSON PLANNING, DATA ANALYSIS AND COLLABORATION. PROVIDING THIS DEDICATED TIME TO OUR EDUCATORS IS A PROVEN WAY TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE WHILE REDUCING BURNOUT, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO BETTER CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. IT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO MODEL THE BEHAVIOR OF BEING LIFELONG LEARNERS, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR STUDENTS. ON THOSE SAME DAYS, OUR STUDENTS WILL BE ENGAGED IN SELF-PACED, MEANINGFUL LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. THE GOAL IS TO REINFORCE KEY ACADEMIC CONCEPTS AND EMPOWER STUDENTS BY HELPING THEM BUILD RESPONSIBILITY AND TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS. THIS APPROACH GIVES STUDENTS THE FLEXIBILITY TO WORK AT THEIR OWN PACE, AND THE FREEDOM TO DECIDE THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY COMPLETE THEIR TASKS. THEY WILL ENGAGE IN INDEPENDENT ACTIVITIES USING DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND ASSIGNMENTS. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A DEDICATED ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAY WEBSITE WITH ALL THE RESOURCES THEY WILL NEED FOR OUR PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS. 
          THE DAY IS GUIDED BY AN ACTIVITY CHOICE BOARD. THIS WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO CHOOSE AT LEAST ONE ASSIGNMENT PER PER CORE SUBJECT AREA. A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR LEARNING IS ACHIEVED WHEN STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED CHOICE, AND IT ALSO CATERS TO DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENT READING, CREATIVITY AND MOVEMENT WILL BE INCLUDED TO ENSURE A WELL-ROUNDED DAY OF LEARNING. OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL ALSO HAVE A SELF-DIRECTED DAY OF LEARNING STANDARDS. ALIGNED ACTIVITIES WILL BE PROVIDED VIA GEORGIA VIRTUAL FOR CORE SUBJECT AREAS, BUT TEACHERS HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO ASSIGN ALTERNATIVE WORK VIA GOOGLE CLASSROOM. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE HIGH SCHOOLERS TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, ENSURING THE DAY IS PRODUCTIVE AND ALIGNS WITH THEIR FUTURE GOALS. THIS STRUCTURE PROVIDES THEM WITH THE INDEPENDENCE AND FLEXIBILITY THEY WILL NEED FOR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION. IN THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF EXCEPTIONAL, THE GREATEST INVESTMENT WE CAN MAKE IS IN OUR EDUCATORS. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IS THE VITAL FORCE THAT EMPOWERS OUR TEACHERS AND IN DOING SO, TRANSFORMS THE FUTURE FOR OUR STUDENTS. WHEN WE INVEST IN ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, OUR TEACHERS BECOME TRUE MASTERS OF THEIR SUBJECTS, BRINGING A PASSION FOR LEARNING TO THE CLASSROOM. THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO IMPLEMENT THE MOST EFFECTIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND INCREASES THEIR OWN CONFIDENCE TO TACKLE CHALLENGES WITH CREATIVITY AND RESILIENCE. FURTHERMORE, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOSTERS A COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY WHERE EDUCATORS CAN CONNECT WITH PEERS, SHARE BEST PRACTICES, AND BUILD A POWERFUL NETWORK TO SUPPORT A NETWORK OF SUPPORT, WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT AND A COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. BY COMMITTING TO THIS POWERFUL PROCESS, WE ARE NOT JUST INVESTING IN OUR TEACHERS. WE ARE SECURING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. DOCTOR PACE, THIS CONCLUDES WHAT I WHAT I PREPARED AND I YIELD THE FLOOR TO YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR JOHNSON. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING. AND WE REMAIN AVAILABLE TO OUR BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR PACE. AND THANK YOU, DOCTOR JOHNSON. DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? MISS CARTER, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, DOCTOR JOHNSON. ALL THAT SOUNDS AMAZING. I'M EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES WE'RE GOING TO OFFER OUR TEACHERS AND THE ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING DAYS, HOW THAT'S GOING TO GO. THAT SOUNDS EXCITING FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MRS. CARTER. MISS EDWARDS, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. DOCTOR JOHNSON, IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS SCREEN THAT SHOWS. ALLIANCE, ALLIANCE OF TEACHER LEADERS PROGRAMS. I WANTED TO KNOW HOW OLD IS THE PROGRAM, THE ALLIANCE OF TEACHER LEADERS PROGRAM. AND HOW OFTEN HAS IT BEEN EVALUATED? SO THIS IS THE FIFTH COHORT. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT MEANS WE BEGAN IN 2020 WITH THIS INITIATIVE. IT'S AN ANNUAL COHORT. SO FOR FIVE YEARS, AT THE END OF THE EACH OF EACH PERIOD, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR COHORT PARTICIPANTS ABOUT AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT AS WELL AS THINGS THAT THEY THOUGHT REALLY BENEFITED THEM WELL. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO CHECK IN WITH THOSE TEACHERS AFTER THE PROGRAM TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT IMPACT THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE ACROSS THEIR BUILDING, THEY FEEL THAT IT'S HAPPENING. OKAY. ANOTHER 
          [00:35:01]
QUESTION IS FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK. HOW HOW IS THIS FRAMEWORK ORGANIZED TO BE IMPLEMENTED? SO WE IMPLEMENT THREE DIFFERENT FRAMEWORKS BASED ON CONTENT AREAS IN OUR DISTRICT. AND SO WE HAVE THE GRADUAL RELEASE MODEL THAT WE USE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND SOCIAL STUDIES. WE HAVE A FIVE MODEL THAT WE USE FOR SCIENCE. AND THEN FOR MATH. WE FOLLOW THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S MATH FRAMEWORK. 
          OKAY, I HAVE ONE. ONE MORE QUESTION. WHEN WAS THIS INTRODUCED TO THE TEACHERS, AND HOW OFTEN ARE ALL THE AREAS MONITORED MONITORED? SO WE BEGAN THIS WORK LAST SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE HAD A BIG KICK OFF DURING OUR JULY 28TH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY. 
          WE ACTUALLY CONTINUALLY HAVE THE CURRICULUM BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SERIES MONTHLY WITH OUR TEACHERS, AND AFTER EACH SESSION IS WHEN WE GATHER FEEDBACK AND DO ANALYSIS SO WE CAN PLAN FOR THE NEXT SESSION. OKAY, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE ASYNCHRONOUS SYNCHRONOUS DAYS BECAUSE STUDENTS WILL STILL BE LEARNING. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND I'M ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THE THE PROGRAM IT'S GOING TO BE OFFERED FOR OUR STAFF. THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BABYSITTING. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BABYSITTING OTHER PROBLEMS ANYMORE. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT I'M MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE LEARNING. OUR KIDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE LEARNING EVEN ON THAT OFF DAY. SO I'M SURE PARENTS ARE GLAD TO KNOW THAT. AND IT'S UP TO THE TEACHER, I WOULD ASSUME TO TO USE THAT THOSE THEIR GRADING SYSTEM AS TO WHETHER IT'S, EXCUSE ME, EXTRA WORK THAT WILL BE GRADED AND THIS EXTRA POINTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS OR HOWEVER THEY CHOOSE TO UPGRADE IT AND GIVE KIDS EXTRA CREDIT. YES, MA'AM. WE WANT TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THEY REVIEW THE WORK WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK SO WE CAN KEEP THEM LEARNING AND MOVING FORWARD AFTER THAT DAY. OKAY, I HOPE THE TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT BUSY WORK. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO STILL BE LEARNING DURING THE OFF DAYS. SO I HOPE TEACHERS DO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY SHOULD GIVE THEM SOME KIND OF CREDIT GRADED AND GIVE THEM SOME KIND OF CREDIT FOR THEIR EFFORTS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT. THANK YOU, MISS EDWARDS. DOCTOR NUTT. GOOD AFTERNOON, AND I APOLOGIZE TO MY MEMBERS FOR BEING LATE. SOMETIMES THERE'S THINGS YOU JUST CANNOT HELP. SO PLEASE GRANT ME A LITTLE GRACE. THIS IS VERY EXCITING BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR TEACHERS AND FROM OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT ABOUT THE ASYNCHRONOUS DAYS AND HOW DO I PROVIDE FOR MY CHILD? SO WILL THIS AFTER WE SEE HOW WELL IT'S DOING, WILL WE BE ABLE TO TO AFFORD THIS TO THE COMMUNITY, HAVE THE STUDENTS THINK THAT HAVE NOWHERE TO GO? SO WILL WE PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM ALSO? I'LL LET DOCTOR PACE THANK YOU THROUGH THE CHAIRS. 
          WELL, DOCTOR NUTT, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS AT THIS POINT FOCUSING ON OUR EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY HAVE TO ATTEND THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE. 
          AFTER WE GET FEEDBACK, WE WILL LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY IF THAT IS EVEN A NECESSARY OPTION THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR PARENTS. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STUDIED IN, THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY GOING BACK TO LAST YEAR, AND STAFF WAS PRIOR TO IN OUR PREVIOUS CALENDAR. THESE WERE HALF DAYS, RIGHT, WHERE STUDENTS WENT TO SCHOOL FOR HALF THE DAY AND WERE DISMISSED MIDDAY 1112 DIFFERENT TIMES BASED ON THE CONFIGURATION. AND ONE OF THE DATA POINTS THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT WERE THE NUMBER OF STUDENT ABSENCES ON THOSE DAYS. SO BEING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THIS BACK TO THE COMMUNITY LAST YEAR IN FEBRUARY, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD, I THINK WE GAVE THE COMMUNITY AMPLE TIME TO ENSURE, YOU KNOW, THE PROPER COVERAGE FOR CHILDREN THAT ARE NOT GOING TO SCHOOL, WHICH THIS IS A LEARNING DAY. THIS IS TRULY A DAY OF LEARNING. HOWEVER, WE WILL INQUIRE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AFTER THIS ASYNCHRONOUS DAY AS WELL AS THE ONE IN SPRING, TO ALWAYS SEE HOW WE CAN GET BETTER, IF THAT. IF THAT IS REQUIRED OF OUR COMMUNITY. I'M GLAD YOU'RE NOT DOING THE HALF DAYS BECAUSE AS A TEACHER, I WOULD JUST GET MY CHILDREN OR MY STUDENTS SETTLED, AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, IT WAS LUNCH TIME AND THEN IT WAS TIME FOR THEM TO GET ON THE BUS AND GO HOME. SO I HAD TO WORK JUST AS HARD TO GET THEM THE FEW MINUTES WE HAD. SO I THINK A WHOLE DAY MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE. AND THAT'S WONDERFUL. WHAT ABOUT OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS? THAT WAS A BIG THAT'S A BIG CONCERN FOR ME. AND OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT JUST K-5, THEY'RE K-12. SO ARE WE GOING TO DO ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEIR 
          [00:40:09]
LEARNING CONTINUES? SO WE SO ONE PART OF THE ACTIVITY CHOICE BOARDS IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE VARIOUS NEEDS OF STUDENTS FROM OUR MOST HIGH PERFORMING TO THOSE THAT MAY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, BUT ALSO WE ARE PARTNERING WITH OUR ESC DEPARTMENT AROUND ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL ON THAT DAY. AND I'M LIKE, MISS EDWARDS, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SUMMER LEARNING THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES AND THE ALLIANCE OF TEACHERS, HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT OUR TEACHERS? SO IF THEY GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WHAT CAN THEY HOPE TO GAIN BY PARTICIPATING? SO FOR THE SUMMER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, THOSE WERE FOR OUR EXISTING LEADERS. AND SO WE REALLY ARE FRONT LOADING THEM WITH A LOT OF OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. SO THEY CAN THEN CASCADE THAT MORE EFFECTIVELY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT IN THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, THE SUMMER LITERACY SUMMIT. THOSE WERE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES, TEACHER LEADERS, PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. AGAIN, THAT IS ALSO SUMMER LEARNING SO THAT WHEN THEY ENTER THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, THEY HAVE A GREAT POINT OF REFERENCE TO BEGIN THAT LEARNING WITH THEIR STAFF AROUND THE NEW ELA STANDARDS AND OTHER INITIATIVES, AND OF COURSE, THE ALLIANCE OF TEACHER LEADERS THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THOSE TEACHERS WHO WANT TO REMAIN IN THE CLASSROOM BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN STILL BE A LEADER FROM THEIR CLASSROOM. AND SO THEY REALLY LEARN HOW TO USE THEIR TEACHER VOICE IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE IMPACT THROUGHOUT THEIR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU, DOCTOR AND I, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR JOHNSON. I KNOW THAT EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN A DESIRE OF OUR TEACHERS AND OUR BUILDING LEADERS AND ALL OF OUR STAFF. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR HOW THOUGHTFUL YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN AROUND, HOW WE CAN PRESENT THE BEST INFORMATION FOR OUR TEACHERS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE JUST ALL WANT THE BEST PRODUCTS FROM OUR STUDENTS. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE THOUGHTFULNESS BEHIND THIS, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THIS ASYNCHRONOUS DAY LOOKS LIKE. OF COURSE, AS A MOM OF STUDENTS HERE, AS WELL AS FROM THIS SEAT, I HOPE THAT THIS IS JUST REALLY FRUITFUL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED AND I AM SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATED AND PROTECTED TEACHER PLANNING TIME IN THE AFTERNOON, WHICH TEACHERS HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, JUST NEEDING MORE DEDICATED PLANNING TIME. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PROTECTING THAT AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THEM GETTING THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO MORE DISCUSSION, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO INFORMATIONAL ITEM D2B DOCTOR PACE THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. INFORMATION ON ITEM D2B IS AN ATTENDANCE UPDATE FROM OUR CHIEF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP OFFICER, MR. MATTOX. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. 
          MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT PACE, TODAY I'M HONORED TO SHARE HOW YOUR LEADERSHIP AND INVESTMENTS ARE DRIVING MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN STUDENT ATTENDANCE, A CRITICAL FACTOR IN ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND READINESS FOR GRADUATION IN HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS. CONSISTENT ATTENDANCE SERVES AS A NAVIGATIONAL COMPASS, GUIDING OUR DAILY WORK TOWARDS REALIZING OUR CORE BELIEF THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN LEARN AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL AND WILL HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. REGULAR ATTENDANCE ENSURES THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS ACCESS TO A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION. LET'S PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO CONSIDER WHY WE'RE SO FOCUSED ON DAILY ATTENDANCE. RESEARCH FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER OF EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS SHOWS THAT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM UNDERMINES EVEN THE BEST EFFORTS OF OUR BEST TEACHERS. REGULAR ATTENDANCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR LEARNING TO HAPPEN, NOTABLY WHEN ABSENTEEISM BEGINS EARLY. THE ACADEMIC IMPACT FOLLOWS. STUDENTS WHO WERE CHRONICALLY ABSENT IN KINDERGARTEN TEND TO EXHIBIT LOWER PERFORMANCE IN READING, MATH, AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH SCHOOL. THIS IS WHY OUR CARE TEAM, GUIDED BY THE NEW REGULATIONS SO, IS SO CRITICAL AND VITAL TO OUR STUDENTS. IT AIMS TO INTERVENE EARLY AND SYSTEMATICALLY TO KEEP STUDENTS IN SEATS AND LEARNING. ATTENDANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL DRIVERS OF STUDENT SUCCESS, AND OUR DISTRICT HAS TAKEN INTENTIONAL STEPS TO ENSURE WE APPROACH IT WITH CONSISTENCY, ALIGNMENT AND PURPOSE. OVER THE NEXT FEW 
          [00:45:02]
MOMENTS, I WILL PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF HOW OUR NEW ATTENDANCE REGULATION, OUR STRATEGIC FOCUS ON CONSISTENCY ACROSS SCHOOLS, OUR DATA DRIVEN IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS, AND THE INVESTMENT IN ATTENDANCE FACILITATOR ARE GIVEN US THE MOMENTUM WE NEED TO TRULY MOVE THE NEEDLE ON ATTENDANCE ACROSS HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS. WHEN OUR BUILDING LEADERS ASKED FOR CONSISTENCY IN HOW ATTENDANCE DECISIONS ARE MADE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WE LISTENED AND ANSWERED THE CALL WITH A UNIFIED APPROACH. WE ARE ENSURING THAT EVERY STUDENT IN HENRY COUNTY HAS ACCESS TO ATTENDANCE, SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS. THIS NEW REGULATION WAS CRAFTED THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH SCHOOL LEADERS, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, AND CROSS-DIVISIONAL DISTRICT LEADERS. ITS PURPOSE IS TO REMOVE AMBIGUITY, CREATE A SHARED LANGUAGE AROUND ATTENDANCE, AND ALIGN INTERVENTIONS ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS. WE LAUNCHED THE REGULATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, ENSURING THAT EVERY SCHOOL RECEIVED BOTH TRAINING AND THE TOOLS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT A CONSISTENT PROCESS. THE SUPPORT THIS WORK. TO SUPPORT THIS WORK, WE INTRODUCED AN ATTENDANCE TOOLKIT THAT INCLUDES TIERED INTERVENTIONS AND PRACTICAL RESOURCES DESIGNED TO HELP SCHOOLS IMPROVE OUTCOMES. WE ALSO LAUNCHED AN ATTENDANCE MATTERS WEB PAGE ON THE DISTRICT SITE AS A PARENT RESOURCE, AND EACH SCHOOL WAS PROVIDED A ONE PAGER HIGHLIGHTING KEY POINTS AND THE REGULATION TO SHARE WITH FAMILIES MOVING FORWARD. OUR CROSS DIVISIONAL TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO MEET MONTHLY TO MONITOR PROGRESS, SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THE CARE TEAM, LED BY OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACILITATORS, CREATES GUARDRAILS TO SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS. THE PURPOSE OF THE CARE TEAM IS TO INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY PROVIDING SUPPORT TO PARENTS, STAFF AND STUDENTS THROUGH LINKING COMMUNITIES, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES WITH NECESSARY RESOURCES CENTERED AROUND CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS, AND STUDENT CONTACT WITH A CARING ADULT. THESE ITEMS INCLUDED AND THESE TEAMS INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACILITATORS, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, ADMINISTRATORS, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS COACHES, AND ATTENDANCE CLERKS. 
          ONE OF THE BIG ROCKS OF A CARE TEAM IS TO SUPPORT STUDENT ATTENDANCE. EACH SCHOOL TRACKS ANALYZE AND SUPPORT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND SUPPORT ATTENDANCE NEEDS. AS STATED EARLIER, RESEARCH OVERWHELMINGLY SHOWS A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. DURING THE FIRST TEN DAYS OF SCHOOL, EACH CARE TEAM WAS TASKED WITH TRACKING STUDENT NO SHOWS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EACH STUDENT. THE CARE TEAM FOLLOWED UP WITH OVER 2000 PHONE CALLS, ENSURING WE KNEW THE LOCATION OF EACH STUDENT WHILE ENCOURAGING STRONG ATTENDANCE. AS WE BEGIN THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR TOGETHER, WE DESIGNED SPECIFIC ATTENDANCE CAMPAIGNS, MONITOR ATTENDANCE DAILY, RECOGNIZE AND REWARD IMPROVEMENT, AND INTERVENE WHEN CHALLENGES ARISE. A CARE TEAM, OUR THE CARE TEAMS, WORK TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS A NETWORK OF SUPPORT, COMMITTED TO THEM, AND COMMITTED TO LEARNING EVERY DAY. ATTENDANCE DATA FROM 2000 AUGUST 2024 TO AUGUST 2025 SHOWS POSITIVE TRENDS IN 51 SCHOOLS. ALL 29 OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IMPROVED CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM OVER THE COURSE OF THE 20 2425 SCHOOL YEAR. HIGHLIGHTS OF THESE, WITH NEARLY 10% IMPROVEMENTS, ARE AUSTIN ROAD ELEMENTARY, FAIRVIEW ELEMENTARY, FLIPPIN ELEMENTARY, OAKLAND ELEMENTARY, STOCKBRIDGE ELEMENTARY, TUSSAHAW ELEMENTARY, AND UNITY GROVE ELEMENTARY. OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, 12 SHOWED STRONG GAINS IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CHRONICALLY ABSENT STUDENTS. 
          NOTABLE MENTIONS ARE EXCEL MIDDLE AND STOCKBRIDGE MIDDLE, WHO LED THE DISTRICT WITH ALMOST WITH MOST IMPORTANT, MOST IMPROVED OF NEARLY 14% AND 9%, RESPECTIVELY. TEN HIGH SCHOOLS SHOWED STRONG GAINS IN REDUCING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. IT IS NOTABLE TO MENTION THAT 
          [00:50:04]
OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAD A COMBINED REDUCTION OF CHRONICALLY ABSENT STUDENT OF NEARLY 4%. THIS GROWTH IS A TEST TO THE WORK OF THE CARE TEAMS. THE INTENTIONALITY OF OUR BUILDING LEADERS, AND A TARGETED INTERVENTIONS IN EACH SCHOOL. IN MAY 2025, WE LAUNCHED THE FIRST ATTENDANCE MATTERS CAMPAIGN TO MARK TO MAKE ATTENDANCE A VISIBLE AND CELEBRATED PRIORITY. THE CAMPAIGN FEATURED SCHOOL EVENTS, STUDENT RECOGNITION AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES. FEEDBACK FROM SCHOOLS SHOWED A POSITIVE SHIFT IN CULTURE WITH STUDENTS, MORE WITH STUDENTS MORE MOTIVATED TO BE IN CLASS EVERY DAY. MORE THAN 15,000 STUDENTS HAD PERFECT ATTENDANCE IN THE MONTH OF MAY AND OUR PREVIOUS BOARD. YET OUR PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING WE CELEBRATED SOME OF OUR STUDENT WINNERS. I'M GOING TO READ THAT ONE MORE TIME. I DIDN'T GET THE RESPONSE I WAS INTENDING. MORE THAN 15,000 STUDENTS HAD PERFECT ATTENDANCE THE MONTH OF MAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YES, AND WE RECOGNIZE THEM LAST MONTH. AS WE WRAP UP OUR HIGHLIGHTS ON ATTENDANCE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE HOW ALL OF THESE PIECES COME TOGETHER. THE NEW REGULATIONS SET THE FOUNDATIONS OF HOW OUR CARE TEAMS ARE DRIVING THE DAY TO DAY WORKS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. I'VE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE CULTURE BUILDING CAMPAIGNS AND INCENTIVES THAT MAKE SHOWING UP FOR SCHOOL SOMETHING WORTH CELEBRATING. TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE EFFORTS ARE OUR REGULATION, OUR CARE TEAM SYSTEMS, OUR CULTURAL CAMPAIGNS. AND NOW THE ATTENDANCE FACILITATOR. WE ARE CREATING A UNIFIED, DISTRICT WIDE APPROACH. WE ARE TRANSITIONING FROM POCKETS OF GOOD PRACTICE TO A CONSISTENT, SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK THAT WILL DRIVE HIGHER ATTENDANCE AND ULTIMATELY LEAD TO GREATER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. FOR EVERY INVESTMENT YOU HAVE MADE HAS CREATED MOMENTUM THAT IS IMPROVING STUDENT ATTENDANCE ACROSS HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING EVERY DAY COUNT FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND FOR ENSURING OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE MATTERS. SUPERINTENDENT PACE, THIS CONCLUDES ALL THAT I HAVE PREPARED AND I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MATTOX. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR ATTENDANCE UPDATE AND WE REMAIN AVAILABLE TO OUR BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, DOCTOR PAYSON. THANK YOU. MR. MATTOX. DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, MISS EDWARDS? THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT. I'M GLAD YOU GOT GOT EXCITED AFTER WE GAVE YOU THE CALLS. I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW ATTENDANCE RECORD REGULATION. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND JUST SOME COMMENTS. AND I JUST WANT THE PARENTS TO KNOW IT TAKES ALL OF US TO IMPROVE OUR ATTENDANCE, OUR STUDENT ATTENDANCE. IT TAKES EVERYBODY STARTING AT HOME. AND I'M JUST GOING THROUGH YOUR REPORT IN MY LAST COMMENT IS WOW. FIRST ANNUAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN MAY 2025. SO I SAY WOW TO THAT. 
          THAT'S AWESOME. WITH THOSE NUMBERS AND EVERYONE, EVERYONE KNOWS WE'RE SERIOUS. EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW BY NOW, BY YOUR REPORT THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT EVERY CHILD BEING IN SCHOOL EVERY DAY BECAUSE LEARNING TAKES PLACE NOT AT HOME, BUT IN SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT. THANK YOU, MRS. EDWARDS. DOCTOR NUTT. AGAIN, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE PARENTS TO TELL ME. WELL, MY MY CHILD CAN PASS AND GRADUATE EVEN IF THEY DON'T COME TO SCHOOL. AND I'M LIKE, YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT OF OF SCHOOL. SO THIS THIS IS REALLY GOOD FOR THEM TO ALSO PLEASE DON'T SEND YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL IF THEY'RE SICK. NOW, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO ATTEND SCHOOL. BUT IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT. PLEASE KEEP THEM AT HOME. WE DON'T NEED THAT. AND THIS INCLUDES EVERYBODY, CORRECT? FROM KINDERGARTEN, PRE-K TO SPECIAL ED TO EVERYBODY. ALL STUDENTS. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS REPORT. THANK YOU. DOCTOR. NIGHT. MISS CARTER, YOU WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MATTOX, THIS IS AMAZING. I LOVE THE CARE TEAM. I LOVE THE ALL THE LEADERSHIP AND THE PRINCIPALS IN THE SCHOOLS ARE JUST JUMPING ON THIS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE STUDENTS TO BE IN SCHOOL. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SO SUCCESSFUL. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. MRS. CARTER. AND I 
          [00:55:04]
ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S SENTIMENTS. I THINK IT'S JUST AMAZING. IT IS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT ATTENDANCE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL, AND IT'S EVIDENT THAT WHEN ALL OF THE CARING ADULTS SURROUNDING A CHILD REALLY MAKE IT A PRIORITY, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. SO THIS IS REALLY, REALLY AMAZING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EVEN GREATER RESULTS TO CELEBRATE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR AS WE SEE THE GREAT IMPACT OF STUDENTS BEING AT SCHOOL AND TEACHERS BEING AT SCHOOL. ALSO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MATTOX. WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR NEXT INFORMATIONAL ITEM. D3A DOCTOR PACE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR OUR NEXT INFORMATIONAL ITEM. 
          D3A THE AUGUST 2025 CONSTRUCTION EAST BLOSS REPORT. I'D LIKE TO INVITE MR. MR. BARRY MORSE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER TO THE PODIUM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT PACE. HAPPY TO BRING THE AUGUST CONSTRUCTION REPORT THIS EVENING WITH CLEARING FOR THE NEW ROAD, INTERIOR FINISHES AND FINAL GRADING AROUND THE BUILDING THAT IS CONTINUING. ALL THE FIXTURES IN THE BUILDING ARE SET. WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THE PUNCH LIST PHASE AND THE NEW ADDITIONS OUT THERE. WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT. 
          MOVING TO STEM HIGH SCHOOL, WE'LL START WITH THE STOCKBRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          NEW GYM EXTERIOR CANOPY HAS BEGUN. THE EXTERIOR BRICK INTERIOR OR THE ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING ROUGH IN ON THE INTERIOR. CONTINUE. ROOF TOP UNITS ARE SET ON THE ROOF, AND RESTROOM AND GYM FLOORS ARE PREPPED FOR FINISH, AND THE MAIN BUILDING FOR STEM HIGH SCHOOL SITE WORK DOES CONTINUE, ALONG WITH THE MAIN ENTRANCE, THREE STORY STEEL AND THE UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING ROOF. THE CAFETERIA, ROOFING DECKING BEGINS AND THE GYM AND SUSTAINABILITY SCHOOL STEEL HAS BEGUN AS WELL, MOVING TO DUTCHTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL. 
          INTERIOR CMU WALLS. THE CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT WALLS ARE NEAR COMPLETION. ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING ROUGH CONTINUES. ROOF TRUSSES ARE ALSO NEAR COMPLETION AND FIRE PROOFING TO BEGIN SOON. ROOF RECOVER PROJECT GROUP A AND B AT THE NOTED FOUR SCHOOLS CONTINUES AS WELL. OLA HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION. THE CONTRACTOR HAS MOBILIZED THE CONSTRUCTION BARRIER FENCE AND SILT FENCE IS IN PLACE. GRADING EQUIPMENT ALSO IS BEING MOBILIZED ON THAT SITE AND WOLF CREEK ELEMENTARY PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING IS COMPLETE AND THE CONTRACTOR WILL BE MOBILIZING SOON ON THAT SITE. AND THE FINAL PROJECT THIS EVENING I'M SHARING IS A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM UPGRADE FOR THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE CONTRACTOR WILL ALSO MOBILIZE SOON ON THAT ONE. DOCTOR PACE, THIS DOES CONCLUDE MY REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. MILES. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR AUGUST 2025 CONSTRUCTION REPORT AND WE REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR PACE. AND THANK YOU, MR. MILES. ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, MISS EDWARDS? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WAS GOING TO ASK MR. MILES TO AT LEAST LET THE OUR COMMUNITY KNOW HOW THESE PROJECTS ARE MOVING FORWARD. BUT DOCTOR PACE BEAT ME TO IT WHEN HE SAID IT WAS. YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS EDWARDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MILES. WE APPRECIATE THIS REPORT. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO INFORMATIONAL ITEM D3B DOCTOR PACE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. INFORMATIONAL ITEM D3B IS THE AUGUST 2025 FINANCIAL REPORTS. I'D LIKE TO INVITE MRS. SHANIKA CLAY, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, TO THE PODIUM. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT PACE. TODAY I BRING A REPORT OF THE FINANCIAL ACTIVITY FOR THE PERIOD ENDING AUGUST 31ST, 2025. I'LL START THE REPORT WITH A LOOK ACROSS ALL FUNDS AND LOOKING AT THE LAST COLUMN, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE COLLECTED 9.6% OF PLANNED REVENUES TO DATE ACROSS ALL FUNDS, WHICH IS SHOWN IN THAT YELLOW HIGHLIGHT. AND OUR EXPENDITURES TO DATE ARE APPROACHING 22% OF BUDGET, WHICH IS SHOWN IN THE GREEN HIGHLIGHT. AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD, WE'VE ALREADY DISBURSED 91% OF REQUIRED DEBT PAYMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. THIS FACT, ALONG WITH THE RATE OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS EXPENDITURES, ARE WHAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PRESENTED PACING OF THE 22% OBLIGATIONS OUTSTANDING AS OF THE PERIOD END TOTALED $5.9 MILLION, WITH 76% OF THESE OBLIGATIONS PERTAINING TO CAPITAL PROJECTS RELATED EXPENDITURES. MOVING ALONG, WE WILL REVIEW THE GENERAL FUND ACTIVITY REPORT, WHICH IS THE HOME OF OUR DAILY OPERATIONS. 
          WITH THE SECOND MONTH OF FISCAL ACTIVITY NOW ACCOUNTED, WE ARE 17% THROUGH FY 26 ON A LINEAR BASIS. TO DATE, WE HAVE COLLECTED 9% OF PLANNED RECEIPTS AS SHOWN IN THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHT BOARD. YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE REVENUE FORECAST WILL LAG THE PACE OF THE FISCAL YEAR UNTIL RECEIPT OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH WE DO ANTICIPATE BEING ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER THIS YEAR. TURNING OUR EYE TO THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE PAGE AND LOOKING AT THE GREEN HIGHLIGHT, 
          [01:00:02]
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE INCURRED EXPENSES REPRESENTING 17.4% OF THE BUDGET, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THE PACE OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THIS INCREASES TO 17.6% WHEN OUTSTANDING OBLIGATIONS OF $1.2 MILLION, SHOWN IN THE THIRD COLUMN FROM THE RIGHT, ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. NEXT, WE WILL REVIEW THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE SHEET, THE TOTAL VALUE OF GENERAL FUNDS ASSETS AT THE CLOSE OF AUGUST TOTALED $116.1 MILLION. THE NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES A VIEW OF CASH ON HAND ACROSS ALL FUNDS. THE TOTAL OF CASH AND EQUIVALENT INVESTMENTS TOTALED $274.1 MILLION FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. MOVING TO OUR EDUCATION SIX REPORT AND LOOKING AT THE SECOND TO LAST COLUMN, EXPENDITURES FOR THE PERIOD WERE APPROACHING $8 MILLION, WITH 78% OF THE PERIOD'S EXPENSES RELATED TO STEM HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS, ROOF REPLACEMENT ACTIVITIES AND TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. FINALLY, WE WILL REVIEW THE CAPITAL ACCUMULATION FINANCIAL REPORT. THERE WERE EXPENDITURES APPROACHING $7.3 MILLION IN THE MONTH RELATING TO THE SUMMER FURNITURE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. BUDGET AND BALANCE ADJUSTMENTS WERE COMPLETED TO THE ATHLETIC IMPROVEMENTS CAPITAL ACCUMULATION FUND TO REFLECT THE CONCLUSION OF THE IDENTIFIED FIELD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND ACCOUNTING FOR PRIOR PERIOD EXPENSES. DOCTOR PACE, THIS CONCLUDES OUR PREPARED AND I YIELD THE FLOOR TO YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. CLAY. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR AUGUST 2025 FINANCIAL REPORTS AND REMAIN AVAILABLE TO OUR BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, DOCTOR PACE. AND THANK YOU, MRS. CLAY. DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? MISS EDWARDS? JUST A COMMENT. MRS. CLAY. I'M JUST SO APPRECIATIVE AND I KNOW THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ALSO AS WELL, SO THANKFUL FOR THIS CAPITAL RESERVE ACCUMULATION FUND. IT HAS BEEN POWERFUL AND WE'VE DONE SO MANY GREAT THINGS IN THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THOSE FUNDS. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING FOR OVERSEEING THE FUNDS BECAUSE YOU DO SUCH A GREAT JOB. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS EDWARDS. AND SEEING NO MORE DISCUSSION, WE APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH, MISS CLAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR LAST INFORMATIONAL ITEM OF THE AFTERNOON, WHICH IS D3C DOCTOR PACE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR INFORMATIONAL ITEM D3C 2026 BOARD MEETING TIME AND PLACE. I'D LIKE TO INVITE MRS. SUMMER COX, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, STAFF AND OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS TO THE PODIUM. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. 
          MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT PACE, THIS AFTERNOON I PRESENT TO YOU A RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE FOR THE 2026 BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS, WITH ALL REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS OCCURRING ON THE SECOND MONDAY OF EACH MONTH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF APRIL, WHICH WILL OCCUR ON THE THIRD MONDAY DUE TO SPRING BREAK. THIS PROPOSED SCHEDULE ALIGNS WITH OUR CURRENT PRACTICE OF STUDY SESSIONS BEGINNING AT 4 P.M. AND THE REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING BEGINNING BEGINNING AT 7 P.M. YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT IN YOUR PACKET. 
          WHILE THERE IS NO ACTION REQUIRED AT THIS TIME, THIS DOCUMENT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT AFTER TONIGHT'S BOARD MEETING, AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR BOARD ACTION AT THE OCTOBER BOARD MEETING. SUPERINTENDENT PACE, THIS CONCLUDES ALL THAT I HAVE PREPARED AND I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. COX. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEM UPDATE ON THE 2026 BOARD MEETING TIME AND PLACE AND REMAIN AVAILABLE TO OUR BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, DOCTOR PAYSON. THANK YOU, MRS. COX. DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          [E. BUSINESS ITEMS]
AND WE WILL NOW MOVE IN OUR AGENDA TO OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR ONE BUSINESS ITEM FOR THE AFTERNOON. E ONE DOCTOR PACE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AT THIS TIME, FOR A BUSINESS ITEM. E ONE INSTRUCTIONAL AND TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TEACH TOWN ADAPTIVE SOFTWARE. I'D LIKE TO INVITE MR. MATTOX TO THE PODIUM. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. 
          MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT PACE HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS UTILIZE THE TEACH TOWN PLATFORM TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH LEARNING NEEDS IN ACHIEVING GEORGIA'S EXTENDED STANDARDS. THIS SPECIALIZED CURRICULUM SOFTWARE ENSURES INCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE DISABILITIES, WHO RECEIVE INSTRUCTION ON EXTENDED CONTENT STANDARDS, SUPPLEMENTED WITH TAILORED INTERVENTIONS TO ENHANCE THEIR SUCCESS WHILE BUILDING SOCIAL AND SOFT SKILLS AS OUTLINED IN OUR COMMUNITY INSPIRED STRATEGIC PLAN, THE SUPERINTENDENT RECOMMENDS THE RENEWAL AND EXPANSION OF LICENSING IN THE INDICATED AMOUNT FOR THE. THIS ADAPTIVE RESOURCE. SUPERINTENDENT PACE. THIS CONCLUDES ALL THAT I HAVE PREPARED AND I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MATTOX. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES BUSINESS ITEM A1. AND WE REMAIN AVAILABLE TO OUR BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR PACE. AND THANK YOU. MR. MATTOX. DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY DISCUSSION, DOCTOR NUTT? THIS 
          [01:05:07]
PROGRAM WILL BE TAKING THE PLACE OF ONE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. YES, MA'AM. IT WILL BE. 
          WE WILL DISCONTINUE ONE PROGRAM AND WE'LL BE UTILIZING THIS PROGRAM A SOFTWARE DISTRICT WIDE. AND YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE ONE THAT THIS TEACH TOWN IS REPLACING. WE'VE HAD ENOUGH TIME TO USE THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM TO GET ACCLIMATED. YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. WE WE HAVE AND ALSO WE'VE PROVIDED TEACHER SUPPORT DURING PRE-PLANNING JULY 28TH TO GET ACCLIMATED TO THE THE SOFTWARE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR NUTT. MRS. EDWARDS, THANK YOU. MY QUESTION IS HOW IS THIS PROGRAM DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE USING? YES, MA'AM. THIS PROGRAM IS ADAPTIVE AND IS BASED ON AND IS TAILORED TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS. SO IT ONCE AGAIN, ONCE THE STUDENTS PROGRESS, IT ADAPTS WITH THOSE STUDENTS. SO THIS IMPROVES THEM GETTING ACCESS TO THE STANDARDS ALIGNED MATERIAL WHICH WILL IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES, WHICH. SO YOU'RE SAYING TO ME THAT THE OTHER PROGRAM DID NOT DID NOT HAVE THOSE COMPONENTS? YES, MA'AM. THIS THIS PROGRAM IS MORE ALIGNED TO THE STANDARDS. 
          NOT ONLY THAT, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO WORK ON THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS AND THOSE SOFT SKILLS. SO THIS WILL ENCOMPASS ALL OF THAT JUST UTILIZING THIS ONE SOFTWARE. OKAY. THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS WHY WERE WE USING TWO PROGRAMS. SO WE WERE UTILIZING TWO PROGRAMS. AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST PREPARING STUDENTS AND WE WERE ALLOWING THEM TO USE THIS. SO THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM THAT WE ARE DISCONTINUING PROVIDED ACCESS TO RESOURCES. IT PROVIDED THEM ACCESS TO CURRENT EVENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THIS PROGRAM JUST ENCOMPASSED ALL OF THAT. 
          INSTEAD OF USING TWO PROGRAMS, THEY WILL ONLY UTILIZE THIS ONE PROGRAM AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO TEACH TOWN AND THEN GOING TO THIS OTHER PROGRAM. MY NEXT QUESTION IS HOW LONG DID WE WERE WE USING THE FIRST PROGRAM THAT WE'RE DISCONTINUING? I WILL HAVE TO CHECK. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE UTILIZE THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM. I'M JUST WONDERING, WHY DID IT TAKE US SO LONG TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WHICH ONE WAS MOST APPROPRIATE? YES, MA'AM. SO YEAH, I WILL HAVE TO RESEARCH HOW LONG WE UTILIZE THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM. PLEASE GET BACK WITH ME. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. MATTOX. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, WE THIS TEACH TOWN IS A PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN USING. CORRECT? THIS IS THIS IS NOT NEW TO OUR DISTRICT. WE'VE SEEN GREAT DATA AND RESULTS FROM THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM. YES, MA'AM. YES. 
          AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DOCTOR NUTT IS. IT'S JUST A COMMENT. MORE THAN ANYTHING, AS TECHNOLOGY GROWS AND EXPANDS, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT THE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE USED BEFORE PROBABLY HAS BECOME OUTDATED. THAT'S THAT'S THE ONE THING I CAN THINK OF IS WHY WE'RE SWITCHING. AND I DO KNOW THAT TEACH TOWN USES A LOT OF CURRENT LIKE CURRENT EVENTS AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW THAT THE OTHER ONE DID NOT PROVIDE. SO I, I CAN UNDERSTAND THE MOVEMENT TO A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIKE GOING FROM, WELL, I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO SAY IT BECAUSE Y'ALL MAKE FUN OF ME USING MY FLOPPY DISK AND ALL. SO ANYWAY, SO I CAN UNDERSTAND UPGRADING TECHNOLOGY. THANK YOU DOCTOR. AND I KNEW THE FLOPPY DISK WAS GOING TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. NO, I JUST I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH, MR. MATTOX, THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND THE REAL TIME RESULTS AND JUST FINDING WHAT WILL BEST SERVE OUR STUDENTS. 
          SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE. THIS WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA THIS 
          [F. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
EVENING AND WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM F WHICH IS EXECUTIVE SESSION. COULD I GET A MOTION PLEASE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PERSONNEL DISCIPLINE AND LEGAL. I'M SORRY I MAKE A MOTION. WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PERSONNEL LEGAL AND. DISCIPLINE OKAY. 
          THANK YOU DOCTOR. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MISS EDWARDS. ALL CAN I GET A MOTION, PLEASE, TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION OFF A MOTION TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. THANK YOU, MISS EDWARDS. IS THERE A SECOND? THANK YOU, MISS CARTER. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. FOUR ZERO. WE ARE NOW OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. CAN I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES READ IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          [01:10:04]
THANK YOU, MISS CARTER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MISS EDWARDS. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND FOR ZERO MINUTES ARE APPROVED, AND I WILL NOW
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.