Teacher asks for rationale for 9 a.m. meetings; board approves personnel and consent agenda; longtime employee honored

During public comment, Mickey Garrett, speaking as a teacher, asked the board to explain why regular meetings are being held at 9 a.m. "Why is the board having a morning meeting? They don't understand or don't know the rationale behind this meeting," he said, and asked the board and administration to make the rationale available to employees so staff can feel comfortable raising issues.

Keith Hatcher, introduced as a 40‑year district employee, used his time to thank the board and announce his retirement. "As I step into retirement, I do so with gratitude, pride, and confidence in the future of this district," Hatcher said, reflecting on four decades of service and urging the board to keep students at the center of decisions.

On action items, the board approved personnel items and the consent agenda (both motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote). The meeting record shows the motions carried and were recorded as approved in the session transcript; no roll‑call tallies were provided in the spoken record. Board members also used comment time to thank staff, note literacy week and the Martin Luther King parade participation, and to announce next month's meeting location at Fort White Elementary School.