[00:00:01] OKAY. GOOD EVENING. WE HAVE CONVENED FOR A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON THIS MONDAY, [1. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM] AUGUST 24TH, 2026. THE TIME IS NOW 6:01 P.M.. THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED. WE HAVE A QUORUM WITH ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT THIS EVENING. WITH TRICIA QUINTERO SHOULD BE JOINING US VERY SOON. WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR OPENING CEREMONY WITH PLEDGES TO THE AMERICAN FLAG AND THE TEXAS FLAG. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE. SO PLEASE REMAIN STANDING WITH US. AND WE HAVE. OH. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS BY SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL. 8TH GRADE STUDENTS AND TROOP 4. COLOR GUARD, ATTENTION. COLOR GUARD, FORWARD MARCH. COLOR GUARD, HOLT. PREPARE TO POST THE COLORS. COLOR GUARD POST THE COLORS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE TO THE AMERICAN AND TEXAS FLAG. 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 INDIVISIBLE. COLOR GUARD, REFORM. ABOUT FACE. COLOR GUARD, RETURN TO POST. COLOR GUARD, HOLT. AUDIENCES COLOR GUARD AT EASE. [APPLAUSE]. AND NOW, IF YOU'LL BE SEATED FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AS WELL. THANK YOU. OKAY, FIRST UP, WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS. [3. ANNOUNCEMENTS] WELL, HAPPY 26TH SCHOOL YEAR. A QUICK REMINDER THAT THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEES CLOSES NEXT FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH. A LIST OF OUR 26-27 COMMITTEES AND THEIR APPLICATION LINKS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. THE TIGER FOOTBALL GAME VERSUS LAKE TRAVIS, ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR THIS FRIDAY, IS CANCELED. TIGERS WILL OPEN THEIR SEASON NEXT FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH, AT HOME AGAINST HARLAN. TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE NEXT MONDAY. THE DISTRICT SPIRIT STORE OPENS THIS WEEK. THE STORE WILL BE OPEN FOR IN-PERSON SALES ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON, BEGINNING AT NOON, AND FOR ONLINE SALES ANYTIME AT DRIPSPIRIT.COM. AND ONE FINAL REMINDER THAT THE DISTRICT WILL BE CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH. OKAY, OUR LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT, WE'VE HAD SOME EVENTS LATELY. BOARD HIGHLIGHTS. LET'S SEE. SUMMER CONSTRUCTION. WE TOOK A BIG SUMMER CONSTRUCTION TOUR. ANYBODY WANT TO WEIGH IN ON HOW THAT WENT? ROB, I FEEL LIKE YOU ALWAYS LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON OUR CONSTRUCTION TOURS. WELL, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL. MY COLLEAGUES AND I GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT. AT LEAST MOST OF US DID. BOY, I TELL YOU, GREAT PROGRESS. PHENOMENAL PROGRESS ACTUALLY. IT'S COMING, IT'S COMING TOGETHER. YOU CAN ACTUALLY START TO SEE SOME OF THE INTERIOR TAKE SHAPE. WE'RE ON GLIDE PATH AND, AND THAT'S EXCITING FOR THIS. I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT IN MY, IN MY BOARD REPORT ABOUT SOME THINGS I'VE COME TO LEARN ABOUT DARREN HILL AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN SOME OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT OVERALL, THE THINGS WE CONTROL IS THIS SITE VERY IMPRESSED. ALSO GOT AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE OPERATIONS REPORT OF FIXING SOME ROADS FOR CYPRUS, WHICH WAS GREAT. BUT ALL IN ALL, DRIFTWOOD SPRINGS IS COMING ALONG NICELY AND I'M GLAD TO SEE IT. OUR BOARD RETREAT, WE HAVE AN ANNUAL RETREAT WHERE WE SPEND ALL DAY IN BOARD PLANNING. AND THIS YEAR WE WENT OFF SITE. IT WAS WARM, IT WAS WARM. IT WAS A VERY WARM DAY. ANYONE WANT TO WEIGH IN ON HOW THAT WENT OR YOUR THOUGHTS AFTER? NO. IT WAS A GREAT DAY. LOTS OF PRODUCTIVE TIME TOGETHER, I THINK SO. [00:05:03] CONVOCATION. WHAT A FUN EVENT. I WILL SAY, AS A FORMER TEACHER, I USED TO GO TO CONVOCATION IN ANOTHER DISTRICT AND [4. LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT] I REACHED OUT TO A FRIEND OF OURS, A FRIEND OF MINE HERE WHO USED TO BE A. SHE WAS MY OLD NEIGHBOR AND SHE'S A TEACHER NOW HERE. AND I SAID, HEY, DOES EVERYONE LOVE CONVOCATION OR IS IT LIKE A, OH, WE HAVE TO GO CONVOCATION? BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I USED TO FEEL WHENEVER WE WENT. AND SHE SAID, NO, IT IS SUCH A FUN TIME. SHE SAID WE WOULD OF COURSE, YOU'RE NEVER DONE WITH YOUR CLASSROOM. SO, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE LIKE ALWAYS WANTING TO GET BACK TO BEFORE THE YEAR STARTS. BUT SHE SAID THAT IT'S SO FUN AND SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. AND I THOUGHT THE $7,000 WORTH OF PRIZES WAS PROBABLY ICING ON THE CAKE, BUT. MARY JANE, JUST TO CLARIFY. THANKS TO THE WORK OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, ALL OF THAT WAS DONATED SO WE DID NOT HAVE TO SPEND ANY MONEY. SO, THANK YOU. THAT WAS AMAZING. YEAH, IT WAS REALLY FUN. FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. WE'VE GOT SOME PHOTOS THERE. KIM, DO YOU WANT TO SHARE? YEAH, ACTUALLY THE PICTURE OF ME THERE ON THE TOP. RIGHT. I WAS VOLUNTEERING AT WILDWOOD THAT DAY, AND THIS YOUNG MAN RUNS UP MISS COUSINS. MISS, I WAS HIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IN LAKE TRAVIS, ISD. AND LIKE, OH, GOD, YOU'RE STILL ALIVE. YOU'RE STILL WITH US. I'M HERE. AND JUST A DELIGHTFUL YOUNG MAN MARRIED, TWO KIDS. THEY'RE LOVING WILDWOOD. SO, IT WAS AS BIG OF A SURPRISE FOR ME AS IT WAS FOR HIM. BUT IT WAS A GREAT DAY. AND EVERYBODY COMING INTO THE BUILDING WAS HAPPY AND EXCITED AND JUST READY TO GET BACK AND LEARN. YEAH. STEFANI AND I WENT TO WALNUT AND MR. TOM, THE PENCIL. THE NUMBER TWO PENCIL THERE. MR. TOM STILL IS DRESSING UP PRETTY OFTEN AT WALNUT IF YOU WALK UP. WHAT, WHAT WAS HE. THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL WAS A. WHAT'S THE BIG YELLOW GUY? HE WAS PIKACHU. PIKACHU. YEAH. YEAH. SO, HE'S ALWAYS IN COSTUME. WE. WELL, NOT JUST MR. TOM. THAT CAMPUS. BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE TIGER DADS. I'VE NEVER SEEN MORE TIGER DADS IN THE CAR RIDER LINE, AND IT MAKES ARGUABLY THE ABSOLUTE COOLEST CAR RIDER LINE I THINK IS WALNUT. I DECIDED YES. YEAH, IT WAS FUN. WE. AND THEN WE WENT OVER TO DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF OUR NEW ADMINISTRATORS THERE. SO, IT WAS A FUN MORNING. IT WAS GREAT. DO WE HAVE ANY LIAISON REPORTS? I KNOW IT'S EARLY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING, BUT. OH, GOOD, KIM. YEAH, I'VE GOT TWO REAL QUICK. ONE I VOLUNTEERED AT HELPING HANDS TWO WEEKS AGO, AND WE STUFFED 364 BAGS OF SUPPLIES FOR STUDENTS IN NEED. IT WAS GRADES K-12 AND EVERY STUDENT THAT REALLY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GET SUPPLIES WAS ABLE TO DO THAT. AND EACH CHILD GOT TO WALK IN BEFORE THEY PICKED UP THEIR BAG OF SUPPLIES AND GOT A BRAND-NEW BACKPACK. SO, IT WAS A DELIGHTFUL EVENT. 310 OF THOSE BAGS WILL REMAIN HERE IN DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD. SO THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. JUST A FEW QUICK NOTES ON DRIPPING SPRINGS EDUCATION FOUNDATION. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME IN OUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT, STEFANIE MOODY, WHO IS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR HER. AND LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE GREAT THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH THAT ORGANIZATION. AND WE'LL BE RIGHT THERE BY YOUR SIDE, GOING ALONG WITH YOU. THEIR FIRST EVENT COMING UP IS GOING TO BE A SCRAMBLE. OCTOBER 22ND. AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AND SPONSORS FOR THAT EVENT. THE BIG THING THEY'VE DONE RECENTLY IS THEY ARE GOING TO BE GIVING A T SHIRT AWAY TO EVERY STAFF MEMBER IN THIS DISTRICT AS OF A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION. AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THIS DISTRICT. AND ONE LAST THING IS APRIL 22ND WILL BE THE DATE OF THE GALA. IT'S MOVING THIS YEAR TO A LATER DATE. IT'S GOING TO BE MOVED TO RANCH PARK, AND IT'S GOING TO BE ON FOUNDER'S EVE AS THE NEXT DAY, FOUNDER'S DAY BEGINS. SO THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT NEW EVENT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. OLIVIA. I'VE GOT A COUPLE FROM PARKS AND REC. NUMBER ONE, VERY EXCITING, YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE WERE WORKING ON THE REDESIGN OF THE STEVENSON BUILDING, WHICH IS ALMOST COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION. THAT'S GOING TO BRING A NEW JOB TO THE AREA, THE EVENTS COORDINATOR, WHICH IS GOING TO BE I THINK FANTASTIC FOR DRIPPING SPRINGS. ONE GOAL FOR PARKS AND REC GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR IS IMPROVING DISTRICT RELATIONSHIPS AND CROSSOVER JUST IN TERMS OF EVENTS AND PROGRAMING. [00:10:02] SO, TRYING TO WORK ON THOSE CONNECTIONS AND YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THE CITY CALENDAR. WE NOW HAVE WINTER WONDERLAND CHRISTMAS ON MERCER FOUNDERS. ALL THE DATES ARE NOW UPLOADED. ROB. THREE THINGS AND TWO OF THOSE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD IS TRACKING BECAUSE I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT JUST SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. FIRST THOUGH I WANT TO THANK THE CITY AND THE COUNTY OFFICIALS FOR WORKING WITH US DILIGENTLY TO GET RANCH ROAD 12 IN FRONT OF DSC DONE. THAT WAS CLOSE. AND SO, WE SHOOK SOME TREES AND, AND THEY GOT IT DONE. SO FIRST, THANK GOD THEY DID. WASN'T SUPER SMOOTH. AND THE CITY EVEN BROUGHT A SIGN OUT THERE TO TELL EVERYBODY HOW BAD IT WAS GOING TO BE. AND IT WAS BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT. SO, I'M GLAD IT TURNED OUT, BUT THAT WAS IMPORTANT. SO, I APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERS WORKING WITH US TO WORK THROUGH THAT. SECOND THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN FOR THE SAWYER RANCH ROAD EXPANSION NEXT TO SYCAMORE MIDDLE AND SYCAMORE ELEMENTARY HAS STARTED. AND SO, I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH THE ENGINEER GROUP THAT'S DOING THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN. INTRODUCED THEM TO HOLLY AND TO SCOTT TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THE BENEFIT THERE FOR US WILL BE, WE KNOW THAT ENTRANCE AND EXIT OF THAT CAMPUS IS CHALLENGING. WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME CIRCULATION PLAN CHALLENGES THAT ARE ON OUR SIDE OF THE FRONT. THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPTIMIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND SO, THERE'S EARLY ENGAGEMENT IN THAT FOR US WOULD BE GREAT. AND SO, I WANTED EVERYBODY UP HERE TO KNOW THAT THAT PERSON HAS STARTED AND WILL BE ENGAGING IN THAT CONVERSATION. AND THEN LASTLY DARREN HILL ROAD IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO THE WIRE IN THAT DEAL. IT'S 2027 IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE CONVERSATION WITH US AND THE OPENING OF THE LOGISTICS OF THE SCHOOL OPENING AND THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE. SO, I JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, AS WHATEVER HAPPENS HERE FOR, FOR, FOR ME AND WORKING WITH YOU ALL IN 2027, JUST KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A THING AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT IN ORDER TO WORK THROUGH THE LOGISTICS OF THAT. SO, THE IDEAL SCENARIO WHERE EVERYTHING WAS COMPLETE AND WE'RE READY TO GO AND OPEN IT, THAT THAT IS LOOKING LESS AND LESS LIKELY. SO AGAIN, LET'S FACE THAT HEAD ON IN 2027, LET'S COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN. AGAIN, THE PLAN IS GOOD, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE THE NUANCES OF THAT ARE GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO WORK THROUGH ON THE HORIZON. SO THREE UPDATES FOR YOU. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS FOR WORKING WITH US ON THAT. OTHER THINGS THAT WERE THAT WERE IMPORTANT. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE TEAM. THANK YOU. STEPHANI. SAFETY AND SECURITY. SORRY, JUST A HIGH LEVEL. OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY IS ACTUALLY FINALLY GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN DO ACTUALLY A LOT OF CAMPUS DIRECTED THINGS THAT I THINK WE HAVE INTENSE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE BIG FACILITIES PERSONNEL LIKE OUR SROS ARMED OFFICERS AT EVERY CAMPUS. THE FACILITY, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ALL REALLY REQUIRED QUITE A BIT FROM THE GOVERNOR. WE'VE REALLY BEEN AHEAD OF ALL THAT STUFF. SO, IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE. THE, BUT JUST AS HIGH LEVEL FOR US TO BE AWARE AT THE STATE CONTINUES TO PRESS A LOT OF THESE THINGS. AND SO WE WILL HAVE SOME MORE AUDITS THIS YEAR. WE WILL HAVE SOME MORE INVESTIGATIONS JUST ON, YOU KNOW, PERIODIC ON OUR CAMPUSES. BUT I THINK WE'RE VERY WELL PREPARED FOR ALL THOSE THINGS. AND ACTUALLY, GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE OUR COMMITTEE CAN DO SOME OF THE MORE NITTY GRITTY THINGS THAT I THINK WE WANT TO GET INTO, SO. OKAY, MOVING ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, THE BOARD ENCOURAGES COMMENTS ABOUT THE DISTRICT FROM RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT, [5. PUBLIC COMMENTS] FROM DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, OR FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. EACH PRESENTATION CAN BE NO LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES PER PERSON OR SIX MINUTES FOR A PERSON USING A TRANSLATOR. PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS OR CRITICISMS CIVIL AND COURTEOUS. EXCEPT FOR THE SPEAKER STUDENT, NO OTHER STUDENTS NAME OR IDENTITY SHOULD BE DISCUSSED. IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE HER TO RESOLVE, PLEASE PRESENT YOUR CONCERN THROUGH THE DISTRICT'S GRIEVANCE PROCESS. UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE BOARD IS NOT PERMITTED TO DISCUSS OR ACT UPON ANY ISSUES THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING. THIS MEANS THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO DELIBERATE, ASK QUESTIONS, PROVIDE YOU WITH A RESPONSE, OR TAKE ACTION RELATED TO YOUR COMMENTS. FOR ISSUES NOT LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND PRESENTED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, WE MAY DIRECT THE SPEAKER TO THE APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. SPEAKERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO RELINQUISH TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON. WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM. INTRODUCE YOURSELF WITH YOUR NAME AND CONNECTION TO THE DISTRICT. ONCE YOU BEGIN SPEAKING, THE TIMER WILL BEGIN AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE TIMER SOUND, PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD. FIRST UP, WE HAVE CHELSEA OWENS RAMIREZ. GROWN UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS. IT'S OKAY. WE LOVE KIDS HERE, SO. I'M CHELSEA OWENS RAMIREZ AND I WORK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. EVERY YEAR AT THE END OF THE YEAR SURVEY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE ONE THING THAT'S AT THE TOP OF THE THREE THINGS THAT TEACHERS ARE UNSATISFIED WITH IS [00:15:05] OUR PAY. THIS YEAR, I WILL MAKE JUST OVER $63,000 IN BASE PAY WITH TEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN TWO DEGREES. I ONLY TAKE SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS FROM THE DISTRICT TO ATTEMPT TO COVER MATERNITY LEAVE, WHICH IS NOT PAID, AND IN MARCH, MY TAKE HOME PAY WILL BE LESS THAN $1,000. TAKING MY MATERNITY LEAVE AND DAYCARE DEDUCTIONS INTO CONSIDERATION. IT'S CLOSE TO 75% OF MY PAYCHECK. IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, WE HAVE HAD A TOTAL OF ROUGHLY 16.8 IN PAY RAISES, NOT INCLUDING THE $5,000 GIVEN BY THE STATE. SEVEN OUT OF THOSE YEARS HAVE INCLUDED AN INCREASE IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND A DECREASE IN HSA CONTRIBUTIONS. INFLATION OVER THE SAME YEARS HAS INCREASED BY 27% FOR THIS AREA, PER THE BUREAU OF LABOR AND STATISTICS. AGAIN, 16.8% IN PAY INCREASE AND 27% IN INFLATION INCREASE. THE MEDIAN INCOME, PER THE FEDERAL CENSUS BUREAU FOR DRIP WAS BETWEEN 120 AND 150,000 IN 2024. THE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE, HERE IS 570,000 TO 700,000. WITH CURRENT RATES, THAT IS A MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENT OF ABOUT $4,000 FOR THIS AREA USING THE BOTTOM OF THAT RANGE. THAT'S $48,000 A YEAR FOR HOUSING AND WOULD LEAVE SOMEBODY AT MY PAY STUB WITH $1,250 A MONTH FOR UTILITIES, PAYMENTS, FOOD, GAS. AND THIS IS JUST FOR A SINGLE HOUSEHOLD INCOME WITH NO DEPENDENTS. THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION REPORTS THAT TEXAS RANKED 46TH IN PERCENT CHANGE FOR KEEPING UP WITH INCREASING TEACHER PAY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND THE MOST SHOCKING STATISTIC FROM THEIR FINDINGS IS THE GROWTH IN CURRENT DOLLAR SALARIES FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHEN CONSIDERING THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION HAS ACTUALLY DECREASED BY AN ESTIMATED 4.6% FROM 2016 TILL NOW. I'M TIRED OF EMAILS THAT SAY THE BOARD IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE A 1% PAY RAISE, LIKE I SHOULD BE THANKFUL FOR LESS THAN THE BARE MINIMUM. IN A BOARD MEETING YEARS AGO, IT WAS STATED, IF TEACHERS WANT MORE THAN A 1% RAISE, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT BEFORE A SPECIFIC DATE. IN WHAT REALITY SHOULD WE BE CONTENT WITH 1% WHEN INFLATION IS HIGHER? WE ARE LOSING EDUCATORS BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, NOR ANYWHERE NEARBY ON OUR OWN, AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO RELY ON A SECOND INCOME. IT HAS TO BE HARD TO MAKE FINANCIAL DECISIONS WHEN MOST OF OUR STATE FUNDING GOES TO OUT-OF-STATE CONTRACTS AND VOUCHERS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S AN ELECTION ISSUE, NOT A YOU ISSUE. BUT YOU DO APPROVE COMPENSATION PLANS FOR EVERYONE WHO WORKS HERE AT DSISD FROM THE TOP DOWN. SO HERE I AM TELLING YOU THAT WE NEED MORE THAN A 1% PAY RAISE. I HAVE A COPY OF MY FULL SPEECH FOR EACH OF YOU, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND I HOPE TO THANK YOU LATER FOR THE CHANGES THAT YOU MADE ON BEHALF OF YOUR EDUCATORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. NEXT WE HAVE JOANNA HEDRICK. HI, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US MAKE COMMENTS. I AM JUST GOING TO TALK OFF THE CUFF ABOUT SOME COMMENTS MADE TO STUDENTS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL IN ONE CLASS AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU THINK IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO SAY. BOYS ARE BAD AND GIRLS CAN DO NO WRONG. THESE WERE COMMENTS MADE TO THE ENTIRE CLASS AND THEN ADDITIONAL COMMENTS MADE DIRECTED AT TWO STUDENTS WITH IEPS MOCKING AND RIDICULING THEM BASED ON THEIR PERFORMANCE. AND IT REALLY AFFECTS THESE KIDS. THEY WORK REALLY HARD TO TRY TO HIDE DISABILITIES. AND ALTHOUGH YOU CAN'T SEE CERTAIN DISABILITIES, THEY ARE SEVERE AND THEY AFFECT KIDS JUST AS MUCH AS DISABILITIES THAT YOU CAN SEE VISUALLY. SO, THE GIRLS AND BOYS COMMENTS DOESN'T REALLY SET A GOOD TONE FOR THE WHOLE CLASS. LIKE FOR THE START OF THE YEAR FOR THESE BOYS, NOR FOR GIRLS EITHER. LIKE GIRLS SHOULDN'T HEAR THAT. BOYS SHOULDN'T HEAR THAT. WE DID GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS AND IT'S BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT NOT COMPLETELY TO OUR SATISFACTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. LIKE, OTHER THAN THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON. WE'RE TAKING THE APPROPRIATE STEPS. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL HAVE. JOANNA WE'LL HAVE AN ADMINISTRATOR FROM THE DISTRICT FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO GET MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO [00:20:02] OUR CONSENT AGENDA. THERE WE GO. YEP. WE, THERE WERE A FEW THINGS ADDED, BUT AND JUST SO THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, WE WENT OVER ALL OF THESE AT LENGTH AT OUR AGENDA REVIEW MEETING LAST WEEK. AND I KNOW DR. MORRIS-KUENTZ ANSWERED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THIS WEEK. AND SO, IF WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND JUST PUT THEM IN GROUPS AGAIN, AND IF YOU'LL HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON WE CAN DO THAT. SO, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A THROUGH J. NO? ALL RIGHT. LET'S KEEP GOING THROUGH K THROUGH T. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GET THROUGH THE END OF THE ALPHABET AND START OVER, WE HAVE YOU THROUGH BB. OKAY, I WOULD. YEAH. MADAM PRESIDENT I MOVE FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. [6. CONSENT AGENDA] A MOTION FROM ROB. A SECOND FROM STEPHANI. ALL IN FAVOR? 7-0. WELL, THAT WAS EASY. OKAY, MOVING ON TO ACTION ITEMS. [7. ACTION] CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF 2026-2027 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE RENEWAL. EXCUSE ME. AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, THIS WAS OUR RENEWAL FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. IT FALLS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL PROPERTY INSURANCE AS THIS GOES FROM OCTOBER THROUGH SEPTEMBER. WE'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH TASB FOR MANY YEARS. AND THE PREMIUM FOR THIS YEAR IS THE SAME AS LAST YEAR, SO THERE'S NO INCREASE OR DECREASE. MARY JANE. AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, I'M ABSTAINING. OKAY. ROB. ARE YOU READY FOR A MOTION, MADAM PRESIDENT? I MEAN, AGAIN, THIS WAS SOMETHING WE DID DISCUSS LAST WEEK. AND SO YEAH, READY WHEN YOU ARE. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED THE RENEWAL PROPOSAL ISSUED BY THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS RISK MANAGEMENT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR 2026 AND 20, OR THROUGH 2027. OKAY. A MOTION FROM ROB, A SECOND FROM KIM. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. 6, 6-0, AND MARY JANE ABSTAINS. IS THAT WHAT I SAY? IS THAT RIGHT? I THINK BLAKE'S GOING TO BUZZ ME ALL NIGHT WHEN I TALK. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING OVER THERE? YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BUZZ ME WHEN I TALK. I DO IT. ALL RIGHT, RANDY. NEXT UP, WE'VE GOT CONSIDERATION. APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF ATTENDANCE CREDITS. YES. SO THIS IS AN ANNUAL ITEM THAT WE HAVE TO DO, AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY A FORMALITY TO GIVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT THE AUTHORITY TO DIGITALLY SIGN THE CONTRACT FOR PURCHASE OF ATTENDANCE CREDITS WITH TEA. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS ABOUT THAT? ROB. NO, I'M NOT GOING TO MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ONE. I'M GOING TO GO ON MY ANNUAL RANT ABOUT THIS. OKAY. AND I'M GLAD WE JUST HAD ONE OF OUR TEACHERS TONIGHT TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT BOTHERS ALL OF US. AND THAT'S A COMPENSATION OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO COMPARED TO WHERE WE ARE. SO, IT'S TIME FOR THIS LAW TO CHANGE. THIS IS THIS IS GETTING OLD. RANDY, WHAT'S GOING TO BE OUR ANTICIPATED RECAPTURE PAYMENT THIS YEAR BASED ON OUR BUDGET THAT WE APPROVED? I BELIEVE IT WAS CLOSE TO THREE AND A HALF, 4 MILLION. SO, THREE AND A HALF AND 4 MILLION. IT USED TO BE CLOSER TO 12 AND 13 MILLION. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED US FROM THAT WAS THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION INCREASING. RIGHT. RIGHT. SO, LET'S CALL IT RIGHT UP TO $4 MILLION. WHAT COULD WE DO FOR OUR TEACHERS WITH $4 MILLION? 5% PAY INCREASE. A LOT, A LOT. AND WE'RE GOING TO SEND THIS MONEY. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE TO DO THIS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T VOTE TO DO THIS JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE OTHER OPTIONS ARE GIVE UP PART OF THE DISTRICT. WHAT ARE OTHER OPTIONS, RANDY? WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO WE HAVE TO AVOID RECAPTURE? THE COMMISSIONER CAN DETACH PROPERTY FROM THIS DISTRICT. THEY CAN CONSOLIDATE US WITH A NON. CHAPTER 49 DISTRICT. OKAY. THERE'S A TOTAL OF FIVE OPTIONS, SO. WE CAN GO HANG WITH JOHNSON CITY, THAT'D BE FUN, RIGHT? I GO ON THIS RANT ANNUALLY BECAUSE WE HEARD STUFF TONIGHT. AND, AND THAT'S INDICATIVE OF A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME CONSTRAINTS THAT WE DON'T CONTROL IN THIS BOARD, [00:25:04] AND THIS LAW IS ONE OF THEM. AND THESE CONSTRAINTS ARE SUBSTANTIAL TO OUR OVERALL BUDGET AND OUR ABILITY. I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW TO WE CAN'T UNTAX OUR WAY OUT OF THIS PAYMENT. WE CAN'T JUST GO, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST LOWER M&O. LET'S SAVE OUR, LET'S SAVE SOMEBODY SOME MONEY. LET'S SAVE OUR TAXPAYERS SOME MONEY. NO, BECAUSE WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT, RANDY? WHY CAN'T WE LOWER OUR TAX RATE? ESSENTIALLY, THE RECAPTURE PAYMENT IS ON OUR TIER TWO, WHICH IS THE MONEY THAT WE VOTED TO INCREASE. SO, THE TAX RATE THAT THE VOTERS VOTED TO HELP THE DISTRICT OUT IS REALLY WHERE WE'RE SENDING MONEY BACK. WHICH ARE COPPER PENNIES. YES, SIR. THAT'S RIGHT. HAVE WE MET? GOLD PENNIES ARE THE ONE NOT SUBJECT TO RECAPTURE. DO WE HAVE ANY OF THOSE REMAINING THAT WE COULD GO GET? WE'VE USED THEM ALL. WE'VE USED THEM ALL, SO THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE COPPER PENNIES, THIS DISTRICT CANNOT BE FULLY FUNDED, AND WE CAN'T PAY FOR ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER. OKAY, MY RANT IS COMPLETE. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COMPENSATION, ABOUT ALL KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE DOING IN THIS DISTRICT, THAT WE ARE CONSTRAINED HEAVILY BY THIS LAW, CHAPTER 49 OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE. SO, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO GET BEHIND REFORMING IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION THIS WOULD CERTAINLY BE ONE OF THEM. AND I JUST CAN'T MUSTER A MOTION FOR THIS, MADAM PRESIDENT, SO I MUST DECLINE. COULD ANYONE ELSE? KIM. WELL, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. I MOVE THAT FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR WE DELEGATE CONTRACTUAL AUTHORITY TO OBLIGATE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDER TEXAS EDUCATION CODE 11.1511 (C)(4) TO THE SUPERINTENDENT SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBLIGATING THE DISTRICT UNDER TEC 48.257 AND TEC CHAPTER 49, SUBCHAPTERS A AND D AND THE RULES ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION AS AUTHORIZED UNDER TEC 49.006. THIS INCLUDES APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF ATTENDANCE CREDIT OR THE AGREEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF ATTENDANCE CREDIT NETTING CHAPTER 48, FUNDING. ALL RIGHT. MOTION FROM KIM. A SECOND FROM STEFANI. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I MEAN, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO THROW THIS OUT THERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND THE ALLOTMENT THAT WE GET PER STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT. I THINK THE STATE KIND OF GOT EXCITED WHEN WE GOT THAT LITTLE, TINY RAISE OF LIKE $50 A STUDENT. WE DO NOT GET ALL OF THAT MONEY UNLESS EVERY SINGLE CHILD COMES TO SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO, IT'S VERY MISLEADING THINKING THAT WE GET THIS BASIC STUDENT ALLOTMENT AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AROUND 6,500. AND IF STUDENT, OUR AVERAGE ATTENDANCE, I BELIEVE IS 96.5. SO THAT DROPS IT TO ABOUT 5,800 OR SO IN FUNDING FOR THE STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT. SO, IT'S JUST GETTING VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THESE ENDS MEET WITH THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE AND WHAT THE STATE CONTINUES TO TELL US WHAT TO DO. YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TO THE VERY BASIC I MEAN, EVERY YEAR WE SEE OUR TAX LINE. I, WE IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS HERE, YOU PAY DOUBLE TAX. BECAUSE YOU PAY BUSINESS TAX, AND THEN YOU PAY CITY TAX, AND YOU PAY TONS OF TAXES. SO, I GET IT ON LOTS OF LEVELS, I REALLY DO. AND WE SEE THAT BIG, HUGE LINE ITEM AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR TAX STATEMENT. DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE VERY KIND OF BASIC OBSERVATION. WE DO NOT KEEP ALL. THAT MONEY THAT DOES NOT ACTUALLY COME TO US. TO ROB'S POINT, A LOT OF IT FUNNELS INTO THE STATE GENERAL FUND, IT DOESN'T EVEN GO TO EDUCATION. SO, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FIGHT FOR IN ADDITION, JUST TO EVEN HAVE TRANSPARENCY OF WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ACTUALLY GO BECAUSE THEY DON'T ACTUALLY ALL COME TO US. I WISH THEY DID. SO, I KNOW THE, THE STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT IT CAME FROM THE STATE. WELL, TECHNICALLY EVERYTHING COMES FROM THE STATE. THEY KIND OF TELL US HOW MUCH WE CAN KEEP WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. SO, ANYWAY, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION FOR US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THIS YEAR. AND, AND REALLY KIND OF PUT ON PAPER THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE FIGHTING FOR. SO, OLIVIA. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THE LAST TWO LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, I'VE WRITTEN LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS. WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR TRANSPARENCY AND TAXATION, THAT TAXPAYERS LITERALLY ALMOST GET A RECEIPT ANY MONEY THAT'S COLLECTED UNDER THE GUISE OF AN ISD EITHER STAYS IN EDUCATION, THAT IT DOES NOT GO TO THE STATE GENERAL FUND. SO AS MANY PEOPLE THAT COULD ADVOCATE FOR THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING IT FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 3 OR 4 [00:30:09] LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, IN MY OPINION, IT'S GOING TO TAKE PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS TALKING TO LEGISLATORS, BECAUSE 5 BILLION. I WON'T GET ON A RANT, BUT $5 BILLION A YEAR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WE COLLECT UNDER ISD TAXATION DOES NOT STAY IN EDUCATION, IT GOES TO THE STATE GENERAL FUND. YEAH. WELL SAID. LOTS OF ISSUES. SO, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 7-0. THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION. THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION. YEAH. I CAN DO A PROTEST VOTE, BUT I'M DONE WITH THAT. OKAY, FINALLY, ON OUR ACTION ITEMS CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF 2026-2027 CHILD NUTRITION MEAL PRICES. AND SCOTT, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO KIND OF GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THIS AS IT'S GENERAL MEETING AND OTHER FOLKS MIGHT BE WATCHING THAT WEREN'T LAST WEEK. OKAY, GREAT. I'LL GO THROUGH THAT, THAT PRESENTATION AGAIN QUICKLY WITH YOU FOLKS. SO, EACH YEAR WE EVALUATE OUR CHILD, OUR MEAL PRICES FOR OUR CAFETERIAS. AND PART OF THAT IS TO LOOK AT HOW WE'VE DONE. AND SO, I HAVE HISTORICAL DATA FROM 22 ALL THE WAY THROUGH LAST YEAR. AND YOU CAN SEE OUR REVENUE. IT FLUCTUATES SOME, BUT IT'S IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OF $4.2 MILLION. OUR EXPENSES ARE TRENDING UPWARDS, AND THAT'S EXPECTED BECAUSE OF INFLATION AND JUST TRANSPORTATION PRICES TO GET FOOD TO OUR TABLES AND THAT SORT OF THING. AND THEN THE IMPORTANT PIECE IS THAT END OF YEAR FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CHILD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT. AND SO, IN 25-26, WHICH WAS LAST YEAR, IT ENDED WITH 1.478 MILLION. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STARTING WITH THIS YEAR. ALSO LOOKING AT 25-26, WE DID OPERATE A DEFICIT FOR THAT YEAR. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE OBLIGATED TO TAKE SOME ACTION CONCERNING OUR MEAL PRICES. AND SO, THE WAY THAT WE EVALUATE OUR MEAL PRICES IS WITH THE FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT RATE FOR FREE LUNCHES. AND THEN WE SUBTRACT THE FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT RATE FOR A FULLY PAID LUNCH. AND THAT THAT AMOUNT COMES TO $4.31. AND THAT'S WHAT THE TDA SAYS THAT WE SHOULD BE, OR THAT'S AN EQUITABLE AMOUNT TO CHARGE FOR OUR LUNCH PRICES. FOR DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE PROGRAM. WE CHARGE $3.45, WHICH WAS $0.86 BELOW THAT USDA TARGET. WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE WERE OPERATING A SURPLUS. AND IF YOU'RE IF YOU OPERATE A SURPLUS, THEN YOU'RE EXEMPT FROM HAVING TO TAKE ACTION. UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T DO THAT LAST YEAR. JUST HISTORICALLY WHERE WE'VE BEEN THE TDA WEIGHTED AVERAGE LUNCH PRICE, YOU CAN SEE IN 22-23 WAS AT $3.31 AND WE WERE AT $3.30, SO, WE WERE REALLY CLOSE. BUT THEN AS THAT TIME WENT BY THE WARP FOR TDA ROSE TO $4.04. AND THEN OUR LUNCH PRICE INCREASED $0.15 DURING THAT TIME TO $3.45. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORICAL CHILD NUTRITION PRICES. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LUNCH PRICES AND THE HIGH SCHOOL. THE NEXT CHART IS INFLATION FACTOR THAT, THAT IS, I TOOK THAT STRAIGHT FROM THE USDA. AND SO, YOU CAN SEE WHAT INFLATION HAS DONE DURING THAT TIME. AND THEN ALSO THAT THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE LUNCH PRICES. SO, WE RAN A DEFICIT. OUR LUNCH PRICE IS BELOW WHAT THE TDA SAYS. SO, WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CHOICES. ONE WE COULD INCREASE STUDENT MEAL PRICES ALONE. THE OTHER IS WE COULD CONTRIBUTE NONFEDERAL FUNDS TO THE CHILD NUTRITION FOOD SERVICE ACCOUNT, SO THAT COULD BE FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR. OR THE ENTERPRISE FUND THAT'S A PART OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE CAMPUSES THAT ARE NOT ON THE PROGRAM, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. AND SO, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. WE WOULD RECOMMEND INCREASING OUR LUNCH PRICES BY $0.25. AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT ON THAT SLIDE, THE LUNCH THAT WOULD BRING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LUNCHES TO $3.70. AND THEN MIDDLE SCHOOL 3, $3.90, IN HIGH SCHOOL, $4.65. THE ADULT MEAL PRICE WOULD BE AT $5. AND THEN WE RECOMMEND INCREASING THE BREAKFAST PRICES BY $0.10. AND YOU CAN SEE EACH OF THOSE AS WELL. SO THAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION. [00:35:02] I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. ROB. I HAVE ONE QUICK ONE BECAUSE WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS LAST MEETING. YOU ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS TO MY SATISFACTION. I SEE THE RATE. GOT IT. REMIND ME ON THE HYBRID APPROACH OF OPTION NUMBER THREE THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO PREVENT US HAVING TO RAISE THE LUNCH PRICE, THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, WHATEVER THE USDA IS RECOMMEND, WAS IT $0.80 OR WHATEVER IT IS. WE'RE GOING TO DO 25 OF THE 86 THAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING, AND TO OFFSET THAT, WHERE THOSE FUNDS COMING FROM? FUND BALANCES. OF THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM? YES. NOT FROM THE FUND BALANCE FROM THE GENERAL FUND? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. GOT IT. SO, WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT OF A SET AMOUNT OF FUNDS OF THE 1.478103 FUND BALANCE WE HAVE AT END OF FISCAL YEAR 26 TO FACILITATE THE DIFFERENCE IN RAISING IT FROM A HIGHER CENT RATE TO THE $0.25 YOU'RE RECOMMENDING. THAT'S CORRECT. AND DO WE HAVE A ROUGH NUMBER THAT WE ANTICIPATE THAT'S GOING TO COST US? IT DEPENDS ON PARTICIPATION, WHICH WE'RE MONITORING NOW. AND IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT TO PREDICT, BUT $0.25 JUST IF PARTICIPATION STAYS THE SAME, ROUGH CALCULATIONS WILL BE THAT WILL GENERATE ABOUT $150,000. OKAY. OKAY. DO WE RISK FALLING BELOW? WHAT IS IT? THAT THREE-MONTH THRESHOLD THAT IS, WAS STATUTORY NOW SIX MONTHS. WE FIGURED THAT OUT LAST WEEK. DO WE ANTICIPATE FALLING BELOW THE THREE-MONTH? WE DON'T ANTICIPATE FALLING BELOW THE THREE-MONTH. WE'RE AT ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS RIGHT NOW. I THINK THAT'S PERFECT. SO. I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE HELPING OFFSET THE COST INCREASE TO OUR FAMILIES. BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD TO WHERE WE'RE PAYING 100% EFFORT OUT OF THE FUND BALANCE TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE FORCED AT SOME POINT BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING SUCH, WE'RE RUNNING SUCH A LARGE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THE PRICE EXPONENTIALLY. DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT, SCOTT? THAT'S CORRECT. YES. OKAY. YEAH, I FULLY AGREE WITH THAT. THANK YOU. SO, YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR KIDS TO BUY LUNCH AT SCHOOL? YES. AND ADULTS THAT COME AND EAT WITH THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL. SO. GOT IT. WE WOULD SERVE WE WOULD SELL A LUNCH TO ANYBODY. MY KIDS LOVE TO BUY THEIR LUNCH, SO. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. GO AHEAD. PLEASE. I'D LOVE YOU TO DO THAT. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE CHILD NUTRITION MEAL PRICES FOR 2026 TO 2027 AS PRESENTED. OKAY, A MOTION FROM STEFANI. A SECOND FROM TRICIA. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 7-0. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO OUR REPORTS AND INFORMATION. [8. REPORTS AND INFORMATION] DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATES IN THE L&I REPORT FROM LAST WEEK? THERE ARE NO UPDATES AT THIS TIME. NO UPDATES. HUMAN RESOURCES? WE DID GET ANOTHER TEACHER HIRED THIS WEEK. AND SO WE ARE DOWN TO DOWN ANOTHER VACANCY. AND SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO CHIP AWAY AT THOSE TEACHER VACANCIES. OKAY. CAN YOU REMIND. SORRY, MY COMPUTER'S NOT LOADING. REMIND ME HOW MANY THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T SEE IT IN HERE. WE HAVE FIVE VACANCIES RIGHT NOW. OKAY. ACROSS THE DISTRICT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. GO AHEAD OLIVIA. WOULD IT BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO ASK? I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HR ABOUT HOW WE DO HANDLE MATERNITY LEAVE. I THINK WHAT, I THINK THAT I HAVE ALWAYS ASSUMED I'LL BE EMBARRASSED IF I WAS WRONG, THAT IT WAS A ROLLOVER. AS LONG AS THEY'RE STILL EMPLOYED, DOES PAY STOP ON MATERNITY LEAVE? AS LONG AS THEY HAVE PAID LEAVE, THEY ALWAYS HAVE THAT AVAILABLE FROM YEAR TO YEAR. AND THEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, THEY RECEIVED THEIR FILE LIKE A TEACHER WOULD GET THEIR FIVE STATE AND THEIR FIVE LOCAL DAYS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM IN THE FIRST PAYCHECK, WHICH WOULD BE IN SEPTEMBER. SO THE PAYCHECKS RIGHT NOW ARE STILL FROM LAST YEAR. IT'S ACCUMULATED. IT'S NOT, THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC LEAF BALANCE FOR MATERNITY LEAVE. YOU USE YOUR ACCUMULATED. SHE MAY NOT KNOW TO YOU. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW LIKE FMLA WORKS? AND YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE FMLA SIDE. I MEAN, THEY HAVE WE HAVE TO HONOR UP TO 12 WEEKS. WE HAVE TO KEEP THE JOB POSITION OPEN. YES, MA'AM. BUT WHEN A TEACHER, WHEN THEIR PAID YEAR ROUND AND THEY'RE GONE FOR 12 WEEKS OUTSIDE OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT ARE ACCUMULATED, THERE IS NO PAY THROUGHOUT THAT PERIOD. CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT WE DO NOT HAVE PAID MATERNITY. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. FINANCE REPORTS, ANY UPDATES FOR US THERE? NO, MA'AM. THERE ARE NO UPDATES. ALL RIGHT. SCOTT, OPERATIONS. [00:40:02] I DID HAVE A QUESTION FROM YOU, YOU GUYS ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND OUR BUSSES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, IF THEY WERE, IF THEY HAD BOTH GRADES OF STUDENTS ON THERE AND THEY, THEY DO. AND IT'S MOST OF OUR SECONDARY BUSSES, THEY ARE SEPARATED BY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TO THE FRONT AND TO THE BACK. BUT WE DO THAT AND YOU ASKED ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION AND WE, WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T COMMUNICATED THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. BUT IT'S HOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST WHAT I WAS TOLD IS HOW IT'S BEEN DONE FOREVER. AND, BUT THEY'RE HAPPY. WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT. YEAH. IN FACT, THEY, IT USED TO BE K-12 THAT WOULD ALL RIDE THE SAME BUS. BUT YEAH, SO THAT, THAT ANSWER. I KNOW ROB HAD MENTIONED HIGH SCHOOL TWO AND CYPRUS, THAT ROAD IS STRIPED AND READY TO GO AND SO WE'VE MADE A CORRECTION THERE. SO, OR WE IMPROVED IT THERE, SO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WILL SAY WITH THE BUSSES TOO, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT THEY WERE SHARED. SO, WE'VE ALWAYS GONE TO DS AND DSMS AND NOW HIGH SCHOOL. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IT WAS KNOWN TO I DON'T KNOW HOW I KNEW, BUT I JUST KNEW. SO, I WASN'T AWARE THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT SOME OF THOSE BUSSES WERE SHARED, SO. BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION IF THEY HAVE A SHARED BUS. RIGHT. AND WE, WE RAN AN AUDIT ON IT, AND WE OPERATE VERY EFFICIENTLY OUR BUSSES. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE DRIVERS IN THAT AS WELL, SO. STEFANI. IS THERE AN INDUSTRY STANDARD LIKE ACROSS DISTRICTS WHO COVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LAND MASS? BECAUSE I DO NOTICE, I THINK MAYBE IN MORE CONCENTRATED NEIGHBORHOODS, I DON'T THINK THOSE BUSSES ARE SHARED. THAT'S WHY IT IS SHOCKING FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE DISTRICT WHERE MAYBE THINGS ARE MORE SPREAD APART. BUT IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY COMMON OF DISTRICTS THAT COVER A CERTAIN LANDMASS OF THEIR ZONE, OR ARE WE JUST TOTALLY OUTSIDE OF AN INDUSTRY STANDARD? IT'S REALLY AN EFFICIENCY IN JUST THE ROUTING. SO, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, WE HAVE A TWO-TIERED BELL SCHEDULE. SO, YOU HAVE A MORNING AND THEN AN AFTERNOON. THAT'S WHY THE AFTERNOON. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I'M JUST CURIOUS. I MEAN, DO WE HAVE LIKE DISTRICTS THAT SUPPORT OUR WAY OF DOING THINGS BECAUSE. I THINK IS SIZE, IT'S BASED ON MORE ON SIZE THAN LANDMASS. IT'S THE SIZE OF YOUR DISTRICT AND HOW MANY DRIVERS YOU'RE ABLE TO GET. I MEAN, CERTAINLY SPLITTING IT WOULD BE LOVELY. WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE BUS DRIVERS FOR THAT AND PROBABLY COULDN'T HIRE THE NUMBER OF BUS DRIVERS THAT WE WOULD NEED. YOU WOULD LOSE EFFICIENCY. SO THEN WHAT DISTRICTS DO IS THEY SPLIT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. AND YOU GO TO A THREE-TIERED BELL SCHEDULE, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE ELEMENTARY STARTING AT ONE TIME, MIDDLE SCHOOL STARTING AT ANOTHER TIME, HIGH SCHOOL STARTING AT ANOTHER TIME, SO THAT YOUR BUSSES CAN RUN ALL THREE ROUTES. IT DOES APPEAR TO ME THOUGH, JUST ANECDOTALLY, I DON'T KNOW THAT BUS ROUTES REALLY, I'M JUST ALL THE CONVERSATIONS, IT DOES APPEAR TO ME THAT THE CLOSER STUDENTS LIVE TO A CAMPUS, THEIR BUS ROUTE IS MORE LIKELY TO BE SEPARATE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. AND I'M ONLY GUESSING BECAUSE MAYBE THAT SAME BUS DRIVER IS DROPPING, THEN ABLE TO WRAP AROUND TO DO A SECOND TURN. SO, IT MIGHT ACTUALLY EVEN BE THE SAME BUS. I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT, BUT OR MAYBE THE SAME KIND OF SEQUENCE OF BUSSES RATHER THAN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS FARTHER FROM THEIR CAMPUS THAT THEY GO TO, THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS WHERE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ARE COMBINED. THAT IS MY GUESS BASED ON LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING LIKE IN MORE RURAL DISTRICTS WHERE THEY'RE TRAVELING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM KIND OF MORE SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS TO A FARTHER AWAY CAMPUS, IT DOES SEEM THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE CASE IN OUR DISTRICT, SO. AND THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING. IT HAS TO DO A LITTLE BIT WITH DENSITY OF THOSE LIVING THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE ROUTE IS SHORTER, THEY CAN DO THE ROUTE, GET BACK. BUT WHENEVER YOU HAVE TO DRIVE A MUCH FURTHER WAY, IT JUST THAT ROUTE TAKES LONGER, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE THREE DIFFERENT START TIMES UNLESS YOU HAVE A FLEET THAT'S LARGE ENOUGH TO DO THAT. WELL, AND I IMAGINE IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY FILL A WHOLE BUS OR 75% OF A BUS WITH MEDICAL SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEN YEAH, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE TWO BUSSES. SO YEAH. YEAH. PART OF IT IS RIDERSHIP. YEAH. IF PEOPLE ARE WALKING INSTEAD OF RIDING, THEN YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT, BUT IF YOU'VE GOT A RIDING NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN YOU'VE GOT MORE KIDS ON THE BUS OR YOUR BUS IS FULLER. THANK YOU. OH, TRICIA. I DO THINK THIS COMES UP, I THINK EVERY YEAR. AND IT JUST, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAYBE COMMUNICATE TO THE PARENTS AND THE FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, JUST TO THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ANY UPDATES ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT? NO CHANGES. OKAY. WELL, THAT WAS EFFICIENT. THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE IN A CLOSED MEETING TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS POSTED ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING, [9. CLOSED SESSION] [00:45:10] AS ALLOWED BY THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 551.071, 551.072, 551.074, 551.076, 551.082, 551.0821, 551.089, AND 551.129. NO VOTING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CLOSED MEETING. ANY ACTION THE BOARD WISHES TO TAKE AS A RESULT OF DISCUSSION IN CLOSED SESSION WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THE BOARD RECONVENES IN THE OPEN MEETING. THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CLOSED MEETING, AND THE TIME NOW IS 6:46 P.M.. THE TIME IS NOW 7:44 P.M.. BACK IN OPEN SESSION. [10. OPEN SESSION] HAVING NO FURTHER ACTION TONIGHT, WE WILL ADJOURN AT 7:44 P.M.. THANK YOU JIMMY. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.