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Katy ISD · Regular Board Meeting

Katy ISD Regular Board Meeting, August 31, 2017

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The board will now meet in open meeting. Today is Thursday, August 31st, 2017 and the time is 5.52 p.m.

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Dr. Hant, will you verify that we are in compliance with provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act with regard to the notice for this meeting?

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We are in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act with regard to this meeting tonight.

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KDIC Board of Trustees met August 21st, 2017 in a work-study meeting to receive information and recommendations from staff, administration, and the superintendents.

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attendance board members were able to ask questions and receive answers and

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should be prepared with responses and actions tonight

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before the board trustees of Bruce consent agenda is recommended items 4.1

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through 4.8 second we have motion by Brian Mahal see a second by Courtney

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Doyle that the board of trustees approves a consent agenda as recommended

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in items 4.1 through 4.18. In attendance at our meeting tonight is

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Courtney Doyle, Brian Mahalsky, George Scott, Ashley Vann, and Dr. Hent.

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Do we have any questions on the team? We don't have to have questions. I will take a vote. All in favor raise your right hand and say aye.

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Aye.

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I vote 7-point.

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Any opposed?

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Motion passes 4-0.

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Now we go to our action items, Agenda Item 5, 5.1,

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Consider Board Approval of the Naming of the East Transportation Center.

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Madam President.

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Mrs. Doyle.

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I move that the Board of Trustees names the East Transportation Center

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the Lester Floyd Reinacher II East Transportation Center

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as recommended by the East Transportation Center Naming Advisory Committee?

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Second.

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I have a motion by Courtney Doyle, a second by Brian Mahalski,

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that the Board of Trustees names the East Transportation Center the Lester Floyd Reinacher,

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the second East Transportation Center as recommended by the East Transportation Center Naming Advisory Committee.

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All in favor please raise your hand.

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Oh, no, we had a discussion.

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Sorry.

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I do have a question, actually.

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Yes.

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Was there the hearing on that?

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There was.

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And the recommendation stands.

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Yeah.

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Okay.

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I figured there was a case.

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I just wanted to make sure I didn't.

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The hearing was held, and the committee reconvened after the hearing, and the choices stood.

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Any other questions?

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All in favor, please raise your right hand and say aye.

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Aye.

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Motion passes, 4-0.

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Item 5.2, consider Board approval of the naming of the West Transportation Center.

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Madam President.

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Mrs. Doyle.

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I move that the Board of Trustees names the West Transportation Center the Anna Baker

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West Transportation Center as recommended by the West Transportation Center Naming Advisory

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Committee.

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Second.

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I have a motion by Mrs. Doyle, a second by Brian Mahalski, that the Board of Trustees

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name the West Transportation Center the Anna Baker West Transportation Center as recommended

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amended by the West Transportation Center Naming Advisory Committee.

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Do we have any comments or questions?

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I assume that was for all of these.

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It is.

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Don't have to ask it again.

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Yes, the public forum was for all three centers that were named.

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Perfect.

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All in favor, raise your right hand and say aye.

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Aye.

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Motion passes 4-0.

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Item 5.3, consider board approval of the naming of the South Transportation Center.

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I'm not president.

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Mr. Mohoski.

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I move that the Board of Trustees names the S BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI

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BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI BI

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by the South Transportation Center naming advisory committee. Say that three times. That's right. Do we have any comments or questions? All right. All in favor, please raise your right hand and say aye. Aye. Motion passes 4-0. Item 5.4. Consider the board approval of the contract renewal and extension of the collection of delinquent taxes. Madam President. Mr. Scott. I move that the board of trustees approves the renewal and one year extension of the contract for the collection of

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delinquent taxes between Katie Independent School District and the law firm of

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Linebarger, Goggin, Blair, and Sampson LLP.

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Second.

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We have a motion by George Scott, a second by Courtney Doyle.

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The Board of Trustees approves the renewal and the one-year extension of the contract

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for the collection of delinquent taxes between Katie Independent School District

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and the law firm of Linebarger, Goggin, Blair, and Sampson LLP.

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Questions or comments?

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Being none, we'll take a vote. All in favor, please raise your right hand and say aye. Aye.

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Motion passes 4-0. Item 5.5. Mr. Mahalski. I move the Board of Trustees approves the 2016-2017 Final

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Amended Budget for Katy Independent School District. Second. I have a motion from Brian Mahalski, a second from

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George Scott and the Board of Trustees approves the 2016-17 final amended

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budget for the Katy Independent School Districts. Do we have any comments or

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questions? Just a quick comment to the Board. That was amended to the

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last second today, all right, and Chris has copies of that you can share with

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you. It was also posted. Glad you got here, Chris. The second changes were those that were affected of what we found through this last week.

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Is there anything that you could point out?

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The bottom line did not change.

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Okay.

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Bottom line stayed the same?

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Bottom line stayed the same.

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We just moved some money that we knew we were going to underspend

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to cover some of the efforts that we're going to make.

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All right. Any other questions or comments?

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Any other questions or comments?

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No.

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Okay. Maybe there's none.

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All in favor, please raise your right hand and say aye.

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Aye.

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Motion passes 4-0.

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Item 5.6.

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Madam President.

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Mrs. Doyle.

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I move that the Board of Trustees approve the 2017-2018

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official budget for the Cady Independent School District.

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Second.

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A motion has been made by Mrs. Doyle, a second by Mr. Moholsky, that the Board of

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Trustees approve the 2017-2018 official budget for the Katy Independent School

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District. Any questions? All right. Same as what was presented to us last week, right?

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Mr. Scott, you're good? All in favor please raise your right hand and say aye. Aye.

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motion passes 4-0 we now go to our supplemental action item agenda item

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number six 6.1 consider resolution regarding immediate needs associated

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with Hurricane Harvey and recovery oh

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madam president I'm sorry I thought we had a resolution to read I'm sorry I

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move that the Board of Trustees approves the resolution regarding immediate

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immediate needs associated with Hurricane Harvey and recovery?

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Second.

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Second and then you can read it.

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Can we read it?

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Is there a copy I can read?

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We don't.

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I apologize.

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Okay.

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It's okay.

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I will answer.

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She reads it.

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Okay.

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I can read it if you like.

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I'll go ahead and read it.

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The resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Katy Independent School District regarding

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regarding immediate needs associated with Hurricane Harvey, whereas the entire southeast

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region of Texas, including the entirety of Katy ISD, has been subjected to catastrophic

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loss and damage associated with Category 4, Hurricane Harvey, and flooding caused by the

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storm, whereas the entire region, including the entirety of Katy ISD, has been declared

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both a state and federal disaster area, whereas Katy ISD, due to extreme and unprecedented

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prevent adverse weather conditions for safety of all students and staff and due to road

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and facility conditions being unsafe, closed all school facilities on Friday, August 25,

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2017 and remain effectively closed for the foreseeable future for all purposes other

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than crisis sheltering of individuals forced from their homes during the storm and housing

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emergency response personnel.

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Whereas because most of KDI's new facilities have sustained damage including catastrophic

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catastrophic losses in some campuses, it is necessary and fiscally responsible to address damage and begin remediation immediately.

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Whereas there is a need for the acquisition of goods or services to meet the immediate needs of the district, such as purchases to repair damage to facilities

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which may impair or imperil the security of the facilities or the safety of staff and students. Whereas KEISD policy, GRC Legal, provides for the district to accept

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emergency assistance from another local government when, in the opinion of the

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presiding officer, a state of civil emergency exists that requires

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assistance from the district and the presiding officer requests such

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assistance. Whereas KDISD policy GRC Legal provides for the superintendent to

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render mutual aid to other local government entities with the approval

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and consent of the board president. Whereas KDISD policy CDC Local provides

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provides the Board has final authority to accept unsolicited gifts, whereas KDISD policies

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CH Local and CV Local authorize the Superintendent or designee to approve the expenditure of

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up to $500,000 in the event of an unanticipated emergency requiring the commitment of unbudgeted

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financial resources for goods and services, whereas it is estimated that the financial

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resources necessary to address the immediate needs of the facilities of the district will

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far exceed $500,000. Whereas KDISD policy CV Legal provides that if school equipment,

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a school facility, or a part of a school facility or personal property is destroyed or severely

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damaged or as a result of an unforeseen catastrophe or emergency undergoes major operational or

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structural failure and a board determines that the delay posed by the methods provided

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provided in Education Code 44.031 would prevent or substantially impair the conduct of classes or other essential school activities,

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then contracts for the replacement or repair of the equipment, school facility, or the part of the school facility

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may be made by methods other than those required by Education Code 44.031.

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Whereas the vast majority of KDISD employees have been directed not to come to work until directed to do so,

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whereas KDISD will be forced to seek instructional day waivers and a reduction in the number of teacher service days from the Texas Education Agency for many bad weather days,

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and it is reasonably anticipated that TEA will grant instructional day waivers, whereas KDISD policy DEA Local provides employees emergency closure leave,

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Whereas, KDISD believes there is a public purpose for paying employees for missed work

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days that will not be made up in instructional days or an additional time worked outside

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of the employee's normal work day during this time of unprecedented crisis.

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And whereas, the public purpose is to be served by paying employees for work days missed and

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not made up because of natural disaster include the equitable treatment of all employees,

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which provides for enhanced employee morale, reduction in turnover, a reduction in unemployment claim exposure,

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encouraging the safety of all employees and their children, and fair treatment of employees who could not work due to the district's cancellation of the school days.

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That's a summary of the facts as is. The next is the actual action that will be taken.

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That was a summary of the facts as is. The next will be.

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Therefore, be it resolved by the Board of Trustees that number one, the KDISD is currently

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in a state of emergency.

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Number two, the Board of Trustees and its presiding officer are of the opinion that

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the civil emergency exists and authorizes the superintendent to ask for any all assistance

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available from any governmental entity willing to assist.

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Number three, the Board of Trustees is presiding officer, further approving consent for the

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the superintendent provide mutual aid assistance if, after assessment of local resources, it

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is able to do so in accordance with policy GRC legal.

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Number four, the Board of Trustees authorizes the superintendent or his designee to accept

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unmet solicited gifts on behalf of the district if they determine that the gift will benefit

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the district or the KDISD community.

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The Board of Trustees hereby resolves that the superintendent or designee may approve

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purchases to remediate, restore, and secure the facilities of the district and that the $500,000 limit to these purchases established in policy CH LOGIL and CV LOCAL are waived until further action of the Board of Trustees.

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Number six, after purchases of the type referenced above are made, a purchase order should be issued after the fact as soon as practicable and the Board of Trustees will be notified of such purchases at least by monthly.

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The Board of Trustees hereby determines that the delay posed by the purchasing methods provided for in Education Code 44.031 would prevent or substantially impair the conduct of classes or other essential school activities and thereby resolve that contracts for the replacement of repair of the equipment, school facility, or the part of the school facility may be made by methods other than those required by Education Code 44.031.

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And number eight, the superintendent or designee is authorized to pay employees who are unable to work due to the superintendent's decision to close the district beyond the days identified as emergency closure leave and policy DEA local.

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The Board of Trustees hereby determines that these payments serve a public purpose, that was one. Number two, retains sufficient control over the expenditures to ensure a public purpose is served. And three, finds the district will receive a return benefit.

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be it further resolved that the Board of Trustees hereby ratifies any actions

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already taken by the administration towards the district's emergency

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response and recovery presented and passed. All right. All yours.

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Did I miss something? Did I go through it? You whispered to me. No, I just had a question on the bi-monthly because I know you better do that. Yeah, I do it every Friday.

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It gives them a chance to miss one.

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I know.

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It gives you an out, but the bimonthly.

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But you can't miss two.

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That's my attorney taking care of me.

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No, I know.

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But we will try and keep you up to date on a weekly basis.

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I'm just putting out there that you being you and as much information you share with your board,

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we'll know things.

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It's been a bimonthly.

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Yep.

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Okay.

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Do I need to make the motion again?

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Are we good?

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Yes, ma'am.

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I'm glad it's legal because it's moral and ethical and in the best interest of every taxpayer, student, parent, and everyone in this community.

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This is what we need to do. That's my belief. And I think it's y'all's too.

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Mr. Hall, do you have anything?

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Well, I concur. I agree with George.

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Ms. Ray?

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Yes, I appreciate the, uh, this is taking care of our community.

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is taking care of our students first and foremost and our staff and eventually our buildings and our facilities.

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So I appreciate this.

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All right.

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Anything else?

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All right.

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All in favor, please raise your right hand and say aye.

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Aye.

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Motion passes 4-0.

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I'm going to pass this around if you would.

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And as it's going around, I did confer with our legal assistance, and this is an opportunity under that action item that I can give the board just a briefing on some of our district facilities.

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I've got Lee Cruz here that he can talk to some of them.

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As you guys know, we had unprecedented rain, 35 to 40 inches, you know, over a period of four to five days.

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We have flooding in three major areas of our school district. We've got the

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northeast quadrant of the district which is predominantly the Bear Creek and

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Maid Creek area. We've got the southeast quadrant of the district which is

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predominantly some of the Cinco Ranch area, East, Grand Lakes, Cinco Ranch,

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Kellywood. We've got about 14 subdivisions over there. Anything south of Cinco Ranch

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Boulevard actually a little south of Westheimer Parkway and then east of 99

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or east of Mason Road was hit pretty hard and then we actually have the Katie

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proper area that was hit pretty hard as well we've all watched the news reports

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we understand you know the situation we're in I don't think it's a situation

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that's ever been seen by a school district or school districts ever before

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four. With that flooding, as you know, we're trying to get an estimate on the numbers right now.

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I will say this, it is my belief and I'm only going by my estimates in my head that we may have

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18,000 kids at the highest to 10,000 kids in the lowest that will be directly affected by this

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this number or this event. With that said, during this time we felt the need to open up,

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it originally started with two shelters and we wanted to make sure that we could serve

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two areas of the district. We had to open shelters closest to 99. We opened up

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Morton Ranch High School and we opened up Cinco Ranch High School. We had about 1,200 folks in

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Cinco Ranch High School at one time and about 800 to 900 folks in Morton Ranch

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High School we decided to extend it to Cinco Ranch Junior High. I would say a

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rough estimate is we serve probably 4,000 individuals as a direct result of

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flooding, homes being lost, and things like that. We had some flow of people in,

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flow of people out. We work with our faith-based organizations to provide

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resources to the kids and the adults affected and as you guys know we reached

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out to our community and we were overwhelmed with the generosity that

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this community provided to us. Several of the board members spent multiple hours

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here at the shelters working with us as well. I can go on and on and on about

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that and how it's benefited this community. On top of that we also

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worked with both state and federal agencies. We had the Texas National Guard

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that took shop in Katy High School. They're still there. They're providing

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you know resources and search and recovery missions right now, not only in

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the Katy area, but they're extending all the way down to Beaumont. They have

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have commandeered that site and they're utilizing that site. Both Legacy Stadium and Road Stadium

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is being utilized by multiple agencies, predominantly FEMA has come in with their search and rescue

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organizations. We also have Task Force One, not only for the state of Texas, but 26 other

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states that are on site to provide search and recovery efforts as well and to provide

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a resource to this community. We had over 100 DPS officers that came in to the

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district and were staged at the Merrill Center until it got flooded as a result

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of I believe Monday night's rain. We took in 19 inches, a foot to 19 inches at both

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the Merrill Center and the ESC. And I know I've left a couple of agencies out

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but we had quite a few agencies and they're still there. I think they brought

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brought in close to 150 buses, is that right Lee, or was it more than that?

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They were bringing in buses that got changed when FEMA moved over there.

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So we have some buses at Legacy, not as many as we expected.

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Gotcha. But all I'm trying to say is drive by Katy High School, drive by Legacy Stadium, drive by

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Rhodes Stadium, you will see the significant resources that both the state and the federal government

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has got brought in not only again to service KDISD but to service the entire

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region. Now with all that said there has been you know I will say it we've done

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it but it's been a struggle to manage the different departments and the

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different agencies that have been part of the school district. The management of

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the the shelters, the management of doing the things that we can do, I can say this

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all credit goes to our community and all credit goes to the staff that we're able

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to get up here and board members and folks that were able to work here. But with all that said,

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I want to preface the situation. We're not done. We've got a lot to go. We have six months to a

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year of work and things that we're going to have to do. We have 16 campuses that are directly

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impacted because of the floods. Two of them, Beck and Creech, that it is likely we will not be back

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in for the entire school year. When you have four feet of water, six feet of

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water, or water almost to the roof, and that water is projected to be there for

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six to eight weeks because of Barker Reservoir and the Attucks Reservoir, and I'm

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talking about Bear Creek area as well, all of you know that we have releases

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that are occurring. And I don't want to sound gloom and doom, but based upon the

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conversations I've been having with the Corps of Engineers, the Office of

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Emergency Management of Harris County and Fort Bend County, and I've had staff

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Lee and Ken Gregorski have sat in on some of those conference calls. They are

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telling us that the water in both Bear Creek and the water in the southeastern

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portion of the district may pool there for you know six to eight weeks. All

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right, so that's what we're faced with. I mentioned two campuses have water. I have

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have 14 campuses that don't have water, but their student population is impacted by the

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water in their neighborhoods. Some of our campuses are almost completely encircled with

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water. Some of them it may be 75% or 50%. We don't have those numbers yet, but if that

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water sits there and it impacts where the kids live and that, those are the things that

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we're faced with. So with all of that said, there is no way that we can come back to school on our

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original projection, which was Tuesday this coming week. I'm asking the board and actually just

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telling the board that as superintendent of schools, I've pushed that date to a projected

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September 11th school opening. It gives my staff, both those that are on site and those that were

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directly affected. We've got teachers, bus drivers that have lost their homes, and we've got parents,

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and we've got kids. So we're going to need another week to get this done. We've got a letter and a

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communication we're prepared to send out to our community. As soon as this meeting is over, we'll

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hit that button and it'll be sent out. We're going to watch it. Now here, I just want to kind of give

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you what our game plan is. We're hoping for the students return on September 11. We've already

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put out a notification kind of a staff roll call and I can tell you right now

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I've got about 74% of my staff that can return to work that means we've got 26%

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that has been impacted by the storm has been displaced or they are not in the

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Houston area they evacuated or they've been part of the mandatory evacuation

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order that's a rough estimate it goes up a percentage or two based upon

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on paraprofessional teachers, this or that. But when you have 25% of your workforce that

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cannot return to work, you understand the situation we're in right now. Not to mention

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the number of students that I think are impacted in those families that I mentioned earlier.

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But we are looking to try and get back to some normalcy, or the normalcy as it will

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be from this day forward, by asking staff to return Wednesday, September the 6th. We

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We want them to come in.

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We would like for them to just have some time

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with their school personnel in the morning.

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We're looking at bringing some counselors in

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to talk with the staff about how we are gonna work

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with our students coming back into the campus

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after a catastrophe like this.

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On September the 7th, we are gonna allow the campus to,

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to, if I remember right, that was a campus day working there.

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Principals.

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And principals, it was at the principals' discretion.

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And then on September the 7th, we were going to just let that be a work day.

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Basically, the only thing that the district is going to manage or help with

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is that half day working, having counselors to come in and work with them.

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We felt like if we could get our staff back, it is not, you know,

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we're not going to penalize anybody on pay because of the resolution you just sent. If 74% can show up, I will be as happy as can be. If 20% show up, I'll be as happy as can be. I just want to make sure that we're taking care of folks both on the employee side and on the parent and student side.

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With that though, we're also looking at allowing kids on the 6th that are part of co-curricular or extra-curricular organizations to come back on a voluntary basis.

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Alright, nothing formalized. No formalized activities such as band or football or things like that until the 11th when it is the official day, if in fact that day is the day that we can meet that goal.

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goal. I can tell you this, I drove by Seven Lakes High School this morning and there were kids out

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there already, all right, on those fields doing things on their own and talking with the kids

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and seeing all the volunteers of kids coming up here. You know, I think they want to get back.

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They may say, oh man, I don't want to come back to school. They want to come back to school,

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but we also need to be, you know, aware there are some kids that are directly impacted by this and

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and no way do we want them to be penalized or anything.

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So with that said, we're going to push out a communication here in just a little bit,

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and if there's any questions, I'd love to fill the questions.

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If I can't, I know Lee can on the operations side, or Justin's here on the legal side,

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or on the financial side, I have Chris Smith here too.

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When will you let the Beck and Creech families know, I know you're working on a plan,

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where to find them their new school home the rest of the year. When will you and how, you know, what's the multi-tiered way to let them know how we're going to find their classroom space, their new space for the rest of the school year?

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As soon as we can is the answer to that question.

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We're working on a plan right now, but this last week we've been in crisis mode.

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Crisis mode being providing a shelter and looking after the well-being of our community.

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We're now moving into recovery mode with the resolution being passed.

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We've already got resources coming into the district to help us with things.

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We have Ken Grigorski and Dr. Caskey are both working on a plan for displaced students, but let's just be honest.

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It's not going to be just Creech and it's not going to be just Beck.

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There could be displaced students from some of the elementary schools that are surrounded by water for some time.

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I don't have a clear answer for you, but I will tell you we're going to keep the community up to date through a question and answer

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that as soon as we push this letter out we're going to initiate tomorrow. I know

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one of the questions that I got is if I lived in this neighborhood and it was

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evacuated, a mandatory evacuation, and I rent an apartment over here but this

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apartment complex is not zoned to this school, I can tell you right now that

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parent's going to have the option as to whether or not they want their child to

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maintain stay with the students, maybe not at that school but with the students,

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or attend the school in which the department is zoned in.

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Also a conversation we're having, and I believe I have the authority, if not I may ask Justin to look at it,

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we don't allow out of district transfers, but if we have a student who was part of our district

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who now is leasing a home in Lamar Consolidated,

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then we're going to allow that student to go to school in KDISD if they so choose.

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There's a lot of work that goes with that, though.

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We've got to look at satellite sites and how we can transport kids and will they be provided

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transportation.

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As you can see, we've got quite a bit in front of us.

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And I used to be a Smokey and Bandit guy, and there was a song they used to sing, and

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it was, I got a long ways to go and a short time to get there.

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That's what we're faced with right here.

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But I think you all have seen it in the staff committed themselves to work 20-hour days,

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seven days a week to get it done.

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We've got two guys behind us, and I'm going to let them stand in for everybody that has been a part of this.

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Behind me, Lee and Justin, it's just a privilege to have watched what they accomplished.

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It's just unbelievable.

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Yeah, Justin manned Morton Ranch High School on the first three or four days of intake.

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Lee manned Cinco Ranch High School on the first three or four days.

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You know, I have the luxury of upsetting my staff by saying, this is what we're going to do.

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Not upsetting them, but they recognize the work that's in front of them.

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And they don't buck.

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They go get it done.

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And, you know, with every emergency or catastrophe, it brings a group closer together.

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And I think that it's brought this group, the whole Katy community.

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You know, you've heard it and seen it.

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Katy Strong, we are.

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You saw it in the donations.

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But yeah, I could not have done it without these two. I couldn't have done it without this one.

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Several of them were without, they couldn't get here. We did conference calls on a daily basis, 10 a.m.

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and 6 o'clock or 8 o'clock at night, you know, and we made sure that we were all in the loop.

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We missed some things. There are some things that we would do differently, you know, but I'll tell you what,

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I can't knock their effort and there's, you know,

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I would say we we've done it better than any other school district that I'm aware of right now.

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When the community could not respond and did not respond, they were not able to.

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It's not a matter of criticism.

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Teddy ISD said something that was just extraordinary, just extraordinary.

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And it was not, I mean, they're just templates for everybody.

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It was just extraordinary.

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I watched them go from zero miles per hour to 100 miles per hour in about two and a half to three hours.

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Within the opening time, it was just truly extraordinary.

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inspirational in the community my god what more could you ask of this

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community it was unbelievable

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well and as we visited today by our state senators those cool course said

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she did that Katie's model of how a community takes care of itself how how

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how we look out for each other and how she was just, she was in awe of it because, you know,

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she had so many devastated areas, I mean, devastated parts of her area that she said, you know, she represents.

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And I couldn't, I mean, it has been amazing to see the outpouring of people from just who want to just come help,

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whether they're dressed up as princesses or coming with yoga mats or vets to take care of animals

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because the last thing, you know, you've got people in distress that the animals can't quite tell you

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and they're just giving their time and they're safe in their drive and they want to help.

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I wish the community could have been there at the peak with all the big dogs and the little dogs and the cats.

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The first decision...

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Birds, don't forget the birds.

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Birds. The first decision y'all made may have been your best, most humane decision,

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and that was to let families bring their pets.

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I will just never forget walking past people that were just, it was wonderful.

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Yeah, I agree. I agree. There was several nights I wanted to go home and get in the closet and cry myself.

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And I'm not going to say whether I did or didn't because I need to keep up my He-Man image.

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And about the birds, don't let anybody tell you that somebody that has a bird with clipped wings can't fly.

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Because I saw it happen.

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We're at Martin Ranch High School.

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Yes, it was an amazing sight to see.

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And it's continuing.

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We're still taking, I mean, this community, whether it's school district related or not, will continue to take care of each other.

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and I think that with you here all things going on and we're an example of

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doing it right very grateful all right

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information items

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Agenda item number eight, future meetings.

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We have our board work study meeting Monday, September 18, 2017, followed by a regular board

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meeting Monday, September 25, 2017.

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Be there no further business before the board.

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This meeting is adjourned.

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The time is 627 p.m.

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