ARTON TO AMEND THE AGENDA, ADDING BUDGETARY SAVINGS PAYMENT TO FOUR POINT ZERO
[1. Opening Items]
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FOUR UNDER INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS AND A SECOND BY MS. WAYMAN.ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT AMENDMENT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
SO THAT WAS A TECHNICALLY, I GUESS, A MOTION FOR THE AMENDMENT.
SO DO I HAVE AN APPROVAL TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED? A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
BOARD MEMBERS THESE WERE ATTACHED TO OUR WORK SITE AS WE WERE NOTIFIED AND ON FRIDAY.
THREE MEETINGS DOCUMENTED OUR JOINT WORK SESSION WITH COMMISSIONERS, CLOSED WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL AND THE JANUARY 12 BOARD MEETING.
ANYBODY SEE ANY CORRECTIONS OR EDITS? HEARING NONE, I'LL ACCEPT THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
MS. WAYMAN HAD A MOTION TO APPROVE, MS. DILL SECOND.
MOVING ON THE PERSONAL AGENDA.
MR. DILL OF THE BOARD COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH MR. NEWCOMB.
MY SINCERE MR. NEWCOME, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COME OVER YOU TONIGHT WITH THE PERSONNEL AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSENT AND CONSIDERATION.
WE HAVE THREE RETIREMENTS, IN ADDITION TO THREE GREAT RETIREMENTS, THREE RETIREMENTS UNDER THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT PLAN AND TWO RESIGNATIONS WITH PREJUDICE.
COULD YOU DEFINE THAT? SO IT'S WITHOUT THE TEACHER CONTRACT EXTEND THROUGH JUNE 30TH AND THIS IS OUTSIDE OF TEACHER CONTRACT.
IT WILL BE WITHIN OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION.
REMEMBER, THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON WHO REPORTS THE ONLY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT.
THERE'S NO QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS OR A MOTION TO ACCEPT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[2. Consent Agenda]
ALL RIGHT.MOVING ON TO INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS, TRYING TO KEEP THINGS MOVING.
IT'S STILL SNOWING OUTSIDE? GOOD.
[4. Individual Action Items]
ALL RIGHT.BECAUSE WE GET TO HEAR FROM DR. SIMMONS, I GUESS, DR. SIMMONS ABOUT THE GREAT CALENDAR DEBATES.
[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU FOR THE LEAD IN.
GOOD EVENING, MR. NEWCOMB, [INAUDIBLE] BOARD.
I'M ONE OF THEM CRAZY PEOPLE I GUESS THAT ENJOYS WORKING ON THE CALENDAR WITH FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S A BIG PUBLIC AND FAIRLY SIMPLISTIC ONE WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT HOW COUNT THE 45
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FOUR TIMES THAN JUST WORKING AROUND HOLIDAYS AND MOVING THAT DIRECTION.RACHEL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU COULD OPEN THE SCHOOL CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT PDF, THE FIRST ONE.
AND IT'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH A COUPLE OF PIECES FOR THE STATE REQUIREMENTS.
SOME OF THIS MAY BE KIND OF A REFRESHER FOR THE BOARD, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS MULTIPLE TIMES.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO REVISIT THE KIND OF REQUIRED DATES THAT WE HAVE TO INCLUDE IN THE CALENDAR AS OF NOW.
THE STATE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE CALENDAR INCLUDE 180 STUDENT DAYS.
WE HAVE REQUIRED DAYS OFF BY LAW AND THOSE ARE LISTED THERE LABOR DAY, THANKSGIVING AND THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS EVE THROUGH JANUARY ONE.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY, PRESIDENT'S DAY, FRIDAY BEFORE EASTER AND EASTER MONDAY, AS WELL AS MEMORIAL DAY.
THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR DAYS OFF.
WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED BY LAW TO INCLUDE INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS BUILT INTO OUR CALENDAR.
A FEW YEARS AGO, THE STATE BOARD ADDED A FEW CAVEATS AROUND THOSE INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS, AND THEY INCLUDED THAT A SCHOOL SYSTEM MUST INCLUDE THEIR PAST USAGE AND INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS INTO THEIR CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT AND PLAN FOR THOSE IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WOULD EVER BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE THE MAJOR SNOWMAGEDDON AND WE NEED TO APPLY FOR A WAIVER.
IF WE HAVE NOT PLANNED FOR THAT IN OUR CALENDAR, THE WAIVER WILL BE DENIED.
SO WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS USE A FIVE YEAR AVERAGE OF FOUR SNOW DAYS TO PRACTICE.
WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IN PLACE SINCE THIS CAVEAT CAME IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
SO THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WE HAVE THREE WEATHER DAYS BUILT IN, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE MINIMUM THAT YOU CAN HAVE, BUT WE ACTUALLY ARE AT THE THREE DAY AVERAGE AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE THE STATE REQUIREMENTS.
THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS, LOOKING AT OUR EMPLOYEE AGREEMENTS, THERE ARE 190 WORKDAYS FOR THOSE WITH TEACHER CONTRACTS.
THAT'S 10 ADDITIONAL WORKDAYS.
THOSE 10 DAYS ARE DEFINED FAIRLY CLEARLY OR ACTUALLY VERY CLEARLY WITHIN THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT.
ONE DAY IS A NO TOUCH DAY FOR ALL TEACHERS.
IT TYPICALLY IS A DAY THAT TAKES PLACE IN AUGUST PRIOR TO KIDS COMING BACK.
THERE'S ONE DAY THERE'S A NO TOUCH, BUT THE TRANSITION DAY, THERE'S ONE DAY THAT'S SPELLED OUT AS A TRANSITION DAY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, [INAUDIBLE].
THERE ARE EIGHT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS IN THE CALENDAR.
CONFERENCE DAYS CAN BE INCLUDED IN OF THOSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS AND WE'VE DONE THAT TASK.
FOR THOSE TEN ADDITIONAL WORK DAYS, WE DO HAVE IN OUR AGREEMENT THERE ARE HALF DAYS AT THE END OF EACH QUARTER.
SO THE CONCLUSION OF EACH 45 DAY PERIOD THAT FORTY FIFTH DAY IS A HALF DAY, WHICH IS WHERE WE COME TO OUR HALF DAY.
SO MINIMALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOUR 1/2 DAYS IN OUR CALENDAR.
AND THAT WAS A DISCUSSION POINT WITH OUR PARENT GROUP, WITH THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AROUND THE VALUE OF HALF DAYS AND WHEN THEY SHOULD FALL AND WHY DO WE HAVE THEM EVERY SO OFTEN WHEN THEY DON'T SEEM TO BACK UP TO A HOLIDAY? SO THAT WAS A DISCUSSION WE WORKED THROUGH.
AND IN THE CONTRACT THAT SPELLS OUT THE MARYLAND STATE EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION MSEA CONVENTION DAY, WHICH IS THE THIRD FRIDAY IN OCTOBER, I BELIEVE IT'S A NON DUTY DAY FOR OUR STAFF.
SO THAT'S A DAY OFF AS WELL IN OCTOBER.
SO WE START THE BLANK SLATE, WE BUILD THE CALENDAR, AS THE BOARD IS, I'M SURE AWARE ESPECIALLY THOSE HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT.
WE WORK THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THROUGH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL, WHICH ARE THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT WERE SELECTED BY THE BOARD THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR, THE OCTOBER MEETING.
THOSE ARE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES.
ALSO WITH RECREATION AND PARKS ARE PART OF THE [INAUDIBLE].
AND WE ALSO WORK THROUGH IT WITH OUR CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH ARE OUR PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE BOARD HAS SELECTED THIS YEAR AND PRINCIPAL SELECTED THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WE WORKED ON THAT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WITH THOSE TWO GROUPS.
TYPICALLY IN A NON COVID YEAR, WE'D FILL THE ROOM WITH CHART PAPER AND LITERALLY HAND OUT BLANK CALENDARS AND WE START WORKING THROUGH AND REALLY HAVING FUN WITH TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OPTIONS WORK WITH WHAT WORKS WITH THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GIVEN.
THIS YEAR WE DID IT DIFFERENTLY, OBVIOUSLY, WITH HAVING A VIRTUAL MEETING AND STILL WORKED THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS TO GET FEEDBACK FOR WHAT FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A SCHOOL CALENDAR.
WHAT WORKED OUT OF THIS YEAR, WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE OUT OF A DIFFERENT CALENDAR AND HOW TO MAKE IT WORK? ALSO, GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF WHERE THINGS FALL NEXT YEAR, SUCH AS LABOR DAY, WHERE THE HOLIDAY BREAKS NATURALLY FALL AND EXTEND THAT OUT.
THOSE GROUPS CAME UP WITH THREE CALENDARS WE SHARED WITH YOU LAST MONTH.
WE DIDN'T GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL WITH THEM, BUT THE BASIC PREMISE THAT FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR CALENDAR ONE IS THREE DAYS BEFORE LABOR DAY.
CALENDAR TWO WAS FOUR DAYS BEFORE LABOR DAY.
CALENDAR FIVE WAS FIVE DAYS BEFORE LABOR DAY.
AND THAT REALLY WAS THE OPENING PREMISE THAT BOTH GROUPS WANTED TO LOOK AT.
THERE WAS ALSO GREAT DISCUSSION, ESPECIALLY AMONG OUR PARENT GROUP, ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TIME AT HOLIDAYS.
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AND THE MAJORITY OF OUR FOLKS ON OUR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE REALLY WANTED TO SEE A CALENDAR OPTION WHERE WE HAD A MINIMUM WINTER BREAK, THE HOLIDAY BREAK OVER THE WINTER.WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF WE HAD THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM? SO GIVE ME CHRISTMAS EVE THROUGH BASICALLY JANUARY ONE, SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME.
THAT DID FALL INTO TWO OF THE CALENDAR OPTIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
AND THEN WE HAD THE ONE OPTION THAT GAVE OFF AN ADDITIONAL DAY AT THE HOLIDAY BREAK.
AND THAT CAME FROM OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO OUR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WANTED TO SEE ONE ADDITIONAL DAY.
WE DID THROW THOSE THREE OPTIONS OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO ASSIST THE BOARD MAKING ITS DECISION THIS EVENING AND WHICH THAT LED TO THE ACTION ITEM THAT'S BEFORE YOU [INAUDIBLE].
REBECCA, IF YOU COULD SLIDE DOWN.
THIS REPRESENTS THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE PARENTS, FROM OUR EMPLOYEES, FROM A PARENT GROUP AND OR OTHERS.
SO OPTION ONE IS THE LARGEST WE RECEIVE THE LARGEST, I SAY POSITIVE FEEDBACK THAT THEY ALL COULD HAVE BEEN POSITIVE, RECEIVED THE MOST AS THEIR TOP PREFERENCE BECAUSE WE ASKED PEOPLE TO RANK ORDER THOSE THREE CALENDAR OPTIONS.
SO FOR OPTION ONE OF OUR PARENT GROUP, THE EXACT NUMBER OR PERCENTAGE OF THE 61 PERCENT OF OUR PARENTS WHO COMPLETED THE SURVEY, WHICH WE HAD TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN COMPLETE.
61 PERCENT OF THOSE SELECTED OPTION ONE.
OF OUR EMPLOYEE GROUP, TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT SELECTED CALENDAR ONE, WHICH WAS 70 PERCENT OF OUR EMPLOYEES, SELECTED OPTION ONE.
OF OUR FOLKS WHO FALL INTO A DUAL CATEGORY A PARENT AND AN EMPLOYEE WHO WEAR TWO HATS, IT'S HARD TO TAKE THOSE OFF AND SELECT ONLY ONE.
76 PERCENT OF OUR EMPLOYEE PARENT GROUP SELECTED OPTION ONE.
AND OUR OTHER WE LEFT THAT OPTION OPEN BECAUSE IT IS A PUBLIC SURVEY THAT FOR ANYBODY WHO'S A COMMUNITY MEMBER, WE'D LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK.
WE DO HAVE FOLKS THAT WORK WITH OUR KIDS IN MULTIPLE FORMATS AND PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT CALENDAR OPTION AS WELL.
AND THEY FELL INTO THE OTHER CATEGORY.
AND OF THE OTHER CATEGORY, 63 PERCENT SELECTED OPTION ONE FOR THEIR TOP CHOICE.
SO OVERALL, 67 PERCENT OF OUR FOLKS SURVEYED, OR SORRY, 66 PERCENT, I BELIEVE 67 PERCENT OF OUR FOLKS SURVEYED SELECTED OPTION ONE AS THEIR TOP [INAUDIBLE].
SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, THE ACTION ITEM YOU DO HAVE AS A BOARD IS RECOMMENDING THAT OPTION ONE BE THE CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR, AS IS THE RECOMMENDATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
I'LL TRY NOT TO [INAUDIBLE] THAT WAS VERY THOROUGH AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT INFORMATION AND ALL THAT SURVEY DATA, BECAUSE IT LETS YOU KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT PEOPLE THINK.
MR. [INAUDIBLE] MENTIONED LAST MONTH THERE IS NO DESK CALENDAR AND I GUESS YOU COULD MAKE THE LEAST AMOUNT PEOPLE EXTREMELY MAD.
MAYBE YOU FOUND ONE THAT SORT OF WORKS.
I'M NOT SAYING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FIND THE BEST YET.
SO YOU DO WITH THE YOU MAKE THE MOST OF IT AND TRY TO GET AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS YOU CAN TO REALLY WORK WITH.
WE REALLY TRY HARD TO WORK [INAUDIBLE].
WELL, LIKE ANYTHING, EVERYTHING'S GOT ITS PROS AND CONS AND WE OBVIOUSLY GOT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE LIKE THIS CALENDAR.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FOR DR. SIMMONS? DO WE KNOW THIS IS PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT QUESTION? DO WE KNOW WHEN SPORTS IS STARTING, IF THINGS ARE STARTING NORMALLY IN AUGUST? YES, PROVIDED THERE IS NO CHANGE AND THAT HAS PUT ME ON THE SPOT.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU WAIT FOR AND ALWAYS WONDER ABOUT AUGUST 15TH.
BUT IT'S THE SIXTH WEDNESDAY AFTER JULY 1ST.
IT'S REALLY WEIRD THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, USED TO ALWAYS BE AUGUST 15TH, BUT THEY CHANGED IT.
YEAH, IT WOULD STILL YOU WOULD STILL RUN A NORMAL SPORTS SEASON FOR NEXT YEAR.
YEAH, WE WOULD BE STARTING BASICALLY AUGUST 11TH WITH THE PRECONDITIONING.
THERE'S HEAT ACCLIMATIZATION DAYS.
THE FIRST FEW DAYS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT EASY TO GET INTO [INAUDIBLE].
I JUST ASK BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS ALWAYS A LOT OF CONVERSATION NOW ABOUT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LABOR DAY AND, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY PARENTS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES FELL ON ONE SIDE OF IT.
HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS, THEY WERE COMMITTED FROM AUGUST 11TH ON ANYWAY.
SO THE LABOR DAY WASN'T AS BIG AN ISSUE FOR THEM.
SO BUT AFTER THIS PAST YEAR, I THINK ANYBODY IS JUST WILLING TO TAKE ON ANYTHING.
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IT'D BE NICE TO GO THROUGH A CALENDAR.BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK THAT LOOKS WE ACCEPT THE CALENDAR ONE.
ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION, DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR POINT OH TWO, FY TWENTY TWO OPERATING BUDGET.
ACTUALLY GOING TO SHIP TO MR. [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO GO WALK THROUGH WITH THE BUDGET DOCUMENT WITH YOU.
AND I KNEW THAT AARON IS ONLINE, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND SUCH.
PRESIDENT NEWCOMB MEMBERS OF THE BOARD BUDGET CALENDAR WAS DEVELOPED BACK IN THE FALL.
THE ACTUAL PROCESS OF DEVELOPING BUDGET FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR STARTS AS SOON AS THE INK IS DRY ON THE PREVIOUS TERM, FISCAL YEAR.
AND ACTUALLY, AS WE ARE DEVELOPING THAT FY 22 BUDGET, THERE'S ALREADY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE FY 23 BUDGET, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO CERTAIN RESTRICTED GRANTS AND THEIR LENGTH OF LONGEVITY MULTIPLE YEARS.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE PROCESS IS VERY IN-DEPTH, INVOLVES COLLABORATION AND INPUT FROM A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS, ALL SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATION, CENTRAL OFFICE SUPERVISOR AND DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND THEN THE BUDGET TEAM, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE COMPTROLLER, THE DIRECTORS AND MYSELF, HAVE TO TAKE ALL THAT DATA AND TRY TO PUT IT INTO NICE, CONCISE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT IS THEN SHARED WITH YOU FOLLOWING ULTIMATELY THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION AS TO WHAT ARE THE MAIN PRIORITIES, WHAT COMES BEFORE YOU IN THAT BUDGET DOCUMENT AND WHAT FALLS BELOW WHAT WE ANTICIPATE AS REVENUE FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS THE SUPERINTENDENTS PROPOSAL.
IT'S THE INITIAL PROPOSAL, THE TIMELINE FOR WHICH IS TONIGHT IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE BUDGETARY TIMELINE ESTABLISHED BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
UNDER STATE LAW, THE BUDGET HAS TO BE ULTIMATELY APPROVED BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THEIR DEADLINES ASSOCIATED WITH SUBMISSION OF A BUDGET REQUEST.
AND WHILE YOU HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE WORKSHOP WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LAST MONTH, WE STILL HAVE TO DOESN'T GIVE US A PASS FROM FROM SUBMITTING THE BUDGET TO THEM IN A TIMELY FASHION.
AND THEIR DUE DATE THIS YEAR IS FEBRUARY 8TH.
WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET.
YOU WILL HAVE A PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN YOU TAKE FINAL ACTION ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH IS USUALLY HOPEFULLY BY THE JUNE BOARD MEETING.
AND A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT EVENTUALLY FALLS OUT OF ANNAPOLIS THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND ULTIMATELY WHAT APPROPRIATION AMOUNT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PROVIDE TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
ONCE WE KNOW THOSE FINAL AMOUNTS, WE CAN FINALIZE OUR BUDGET.
IT COULD BE SOONER THAN THE JUNE BOARD MEETING, BUT USUALLY IT IS ON ABOUT THE JUNE BOARD MEETING.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME YEARS WHERE WE'VE WAITED UNTIL ACTUALLY THE JULY BOARD MEETING, WHEN THE JULY BOARD MEETING HAS BEEN SLID UP TO THE LAST TUESDAY IN JUNE BECAUSE OF WHERE THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY FALLS JUST TO GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND WE'VE GOT THAT AS LOCK SOLID AS POSSIBLE.
BUT EVEN AFTER YOU APPROVE THE BUDGET, THINGS CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
AND WE GO ON THROUGHOUT THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WITH A BUDGET THAT HAS A LOT OF CHANGES IN IT BECAUSE WE'RE A PEOPLE BUSINESS.
AND SO WE HAVE PEOPLE CHANGE POSITIONS, MOVED FROM ONE POSITION TO THE NEXT.
WE HAVE TURNOVER, NORMAL TURNOVER THROUGH ATTRITION.
BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, THE SUMMARY THAT THE CHAIR BEFORE YOU TONIGHT DOES
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REPRESENT THE PURVIEW OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AS A RESULT OF LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF HOURS WORTH OF WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.THIS SUMMARY DOCUMENT IN MORE OR LESS THIS FORMAT, BUT IN A SLIGHTLY EARLIER VERSION, HAS BEEN SHARED WITH BOTH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR. SIMMONS, AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AGAIN, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR. SIMMONS.
THOSE ARE OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT WE TYPICALLY REACH OUT TO IN ADVANCE.
IN ADDITION, EARLIER VERSIONS OF THIS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THIS BOARD AND OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
SO TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE-- AND THIS SUMMARY DOCUMENT THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE ACTION ITEM ATTEMPTS TO IN A ONE PAGE SUMMARY CAPTURE OF WHAT'S IN THIS 100 PAGE DOCUMENT TO GO THROUGH AND HIGHLIGHT WHERE THE CHANGES ARE IN THIS DOCUMENT WOULD BE AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY.
THIS PROVIDES YOU WITH A CLIFF NOTES VERSION.
THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE FULL DOCUMENT, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE AND LOCATE THE [INAUDIBLE].
IT'S MEANT TO, IN ONE PAGE, TELL YOU WHAT'S DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR THAN THIS YEAR.
WHAT ARE THE CHANGES, WHAT ARE THE SUBTRACTIONS, WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONS? AND WE FIRST HAVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH IN ORDER TO BUILD NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET? SO THAT'S WHAT THE TOP SECTION IS.
WHAT'S OUR NEW MONEY? THE STATE REVENUE NUMBERS HAVE COME OUT.
WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SUBMIT HIS BUDGET TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS IN LAW BY ON OR BEFORE THE 10TH DAY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION.
THE GOVERNOR PUT IN A RECORD LEVEL OF FUNDING FOR K-12 EDUCATION THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS A GREAT WIN GIVEN THE SITUATION AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS ONGOING PANDEMIC AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF STATE REVENUES.
THE WAY THEY DID IT, THOUGH, WHICH I TOTALLY SUPPORT, IS THAT THEY DID NOT MESS WITH THE FORMULAS SO THAT WHEN ENROLLMENT RETURNS NEXT YEAR, THE FORMULAS WON'T HAVE TO BE MODIFIED AGAIN.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE FORMULAS THAT WE GET AID TO EDUCATION AND COMP ED CURRENT EXPENSE TRANSPORTATION, SPECIAL ED, LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, THOSE BUCKETS, THOSE ALL IN THE STATE RELEASED REVENUE CALCULATIONS FOR EDUCATION ALL SHOW SIGNIFICANT DECREASES FOR ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS BECAUSE THEY ALL LOST ENROLLMENT ACROSS THE STATE.
BUT THEN THE GOVERNOR PUT IN HIS [INAUDIBLE] THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION AND FINANCING ACT, A WHOLE HARMLESS GRANT WHICH MAKES UP FOR ALL THOSE DEFICITS, PLUS JUST SLIGHTLY SURE SOUTH OF 100000 NEW DOLLARS AND REAL NUMBERS, NINETY NINE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S HOW MUCH NEW MONEY WE'RE SLATED TO GET UNRESTRICTED FROM THE STATE NEXT YEAR.
THE GOVERNOR ALSO PUT IN THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION AND FINANCING ACT, A NEW RESTRICTIVE PROGRAM.
WHAT'S CALLED ME TWO SECONDS, SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION SLASH TUTORING GRANT.
BUT ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE RESTRICTED AND THEREFORE CAN'T BE INCLUDED IN THIS UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET.
BUT IT CAN BE FOUND IN THE BUDGET BOOK ON PAGE 89 AT THE BOTTOM.
AND THAT'S LIKE THIS, A LITTLE OVER ONE POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THE GOVERNOR HAS APPROPRIATED ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE NO NEED ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION AND TUTORING, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATED WITH, YOU KNOW, LEARNING LOSS DURING THIS, YOU KNOW, THE VIRTUAL TIME THAT KIDS, STUDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN IN PERSON IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND IS THAT WHAT WE'RE THINKING IS GOING TO GO TOWARD SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THOSE FUNDS, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, THE SOUTH OF 100000 AND THE MONEY FOR THE TUTORING, THOSE ARE ALL SUBJECT TO LEGISLATIVE BUDGET APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, CORRECT? WELL, THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, BUT IT IS THE PART OF A BRFA
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WHICH IS SENATE BILL 493.SO IT CAN BE MASSAGED A LITTLE BIT.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
AND THE OTHER PART OF THE SENATE BILL 493, IS THAT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THAT HOLD HARMLESS GRANT, THAT GENERATES THAT ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR US INSTEAD OF A SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE NUMBER, SOMETHING NORTH OF TWO MILLION DOLLARS LOSS OF REVENUE FOR THE COUNTY, THERE'S A PROVISION IN THAT SENATE BILL THAT SAYS THAT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THAT, THE COUNTY MUST APPROPRIATE MORE FUNDS NEXT YEAR THAN THIS YEAR.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE COUNTY CAN'T CUT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THAT.
OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE AWARE OF THAT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE THIS EVEN CAME OUT, WHEN WE HAD THAT BUDGET MEETING.
AND I WAS ON THE COMMISSIONER'S ZOOM CALL THIS MORNING ASSOCIATED WITH THE WHOLE COVID REPORT OUT THAT THEY HAVE EVERY WEEK.
BUT ALSO [INAUDIBLE] I'M SITTING IN MY OFFICE ALL BY MYSELF, JUST LISTENING TO GOOD, DIALOG BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER LEVENGOOD IS THE CURRENT YEAR MACO PRESIDENT.
AND SO HE BROUGHT UP THIS AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW, IF IT'S DONE RIGHT, IT'S TOTAL DOLLARS AND NOT A REBASING OF THE PER STUDENT DOLLARS BECAUSE THAT WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT MAINTENANCE THAT.
SUFFICE IT TO SAY, COMMISSIONERS ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE AND THEY'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE.
THAT WAS MY TAKEAWAY FROM MY INTERACTION WITH THEM THIS MORNING DURING THE COMMISSIONERS MEETING.
SO BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO APPROPRIATE MORE THAN THEIR CURRENT THAT THEY'RE IN THE REVENUE, THIS BUDGET REFLECTS A THOUSAND DOLLAR INCREASE IN APPROPRIATION FROM THE COUNTY.
IT MAY END UP BEING A DOLLAR, BUT WE JUST PLUGGED IN A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A SAFE PLACEHOLDER, PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROMISE WAS THROUGH THE FORMULA.
THE EXPECTATION WAS THE HOLD HARMLESS WOULD PROVIDE EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND NEW DOLLARS.
SO A THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM COUNTY DIDN'T SEEM LIKE AN OVERREACH.
IF IT IS, THEN WE'LL ADDRESS IT ONCE THEY SET THEIR FINAL ALLOCATION TO SOME LOWER AMOUNT.
WELL, THAT'S HIGHER THAN THE CURRENT.
AND I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S GOING BACKWARDS, BUT PROBABLY THE PRE CURRENT THIS YEAR'S CURRENT COUNTY APPROPRIATION IS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
IT IS MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MAINTAINED OUR CURRENT GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, BUT THAT IS HISTORICALLY WHAT WE GET.
I MEAN, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, WE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BUMP OVER IT OR SOMETHING.
BUT I THINK PROBABLY THE INTENT OF THAT REGULATION IN THE SENATE BILL WAS FOR COUNTIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR A MILLION, YOU KNOW, OVER MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT THIS YEAR, THE COUNTY NOT GO BACK, GO BACKWARDS NEXT YEAR, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY CAN'T GO BACKWARDS UNLESS THE MAINTENANCE EFFORTS EQUATION IS ADJUSTED, WHICH IT HASN'T BEEN.
SO THAT'S TO KEEP SOME OF THE BIG GUYS, YOU KNOW, HOPE ABOVE BOARD, I GUESS.
AND HOW IT AFFECTS US IS US PREDICTING A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR OUR COUNTY.
SO WE ALSO THE OTHER ONLY REVENUE LINE ITEM TO POINT OUT IS THAT WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE RECESSION AND THE FEDS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE FEDERAL RESERVE, LOWERING THE PRIME LENDING RATE TO RECORD LOWS THAT DRIVE DOWN INTEREST EARNING RATES FOR US.
AND SO OUR INTEREST EARNINGS ARE OFF SIGNIFICANTLY THIS YEAR AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THEY'LL STAY PRETTY LOW NEXT YEAR.
OH, IT'S NOT THAT THAT TOTAL LINE ITEM OF SIX HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN THOUSAND ISN'T JUST INTEREST.
IT'S A PORTION IT'S A BIG CHUNK OF IT.
BUT WE NEED TO LOWER THAT ANTICIPATED BUDGET AMOUNT FOR INTEREST BY 175,000.
SO ALL IN AND THEN WE'RE ACTUALLY BUILDING A BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR WITH LESS REVENUE THAN THE CURRENT YEAR TO THE TUNE OF JUST A LITTLE SHY OF 75,000 DOLLARS.
AND SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT? AND SO UNDER PART ONE, REDUCTIONS, SAME SERVICES AND BUDGET TO ACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS AND THE LINE ITEMS ARE NUMBERED DOWN THE LEFT HAND SIDE SEQUENTIALLY FROM HERE ON, BUT I SEE I GOT A DOUBLE NUMBERING THERE AND SO I APOLOGIZE.
THERE'S TWO NUMBER NINES SO MY BAD.
ITEMS LINES ONE THROUGH NINE ARE ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN AND MR. NEWCOMB YOU ALLUDED
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TO THIS EARLIER, ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN DURING THE SUMMER ASSOCIATED WITH, YOU KNOW, HIRING FREEZES.AGAIN, WE WERE ANTICIPATING A MAJOR CUT FROM THE STATE BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR ON OR ABOUT THE 1ST OF JULY, CUT MOST STATE AGENCIES NOT UNILATERALLY, BUT VIA THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, OF WHICH HE IS ONE OF THREE PERSONS ON THAT BOARD.
AND SO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS TOOK ACTION IN EARLY JULY AND THE BRAND NEW FISCAL YEAR TO CUT A NUMBER OF STATE AGENCIES.
AND HIS INTENTIONS WERE TO ALSO CUT AID TO EDUCATION MIDYEAR AND THROUGH THE BRFA.
AND SO BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT AT THE TIME.
SO WE DID NOT REACH A POINT WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW AND HAVE TO MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT, DRASTIC DECISIONS IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR WITH LESS STATE REVENUE THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT SO THOSE POSITIONS WERE FROZEN AND REMAIN FROZEN TO THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND THE FAR RIGHT HAND COLUMN IS A CUMULATIVE TABULATION.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE SAVINGS THAT ARE GENERATED THROUGH THOSE FIRST SEVERAL LINE ITEMS. AND THEN AS WE STARTED TO DEVELOP THE FY 22 BUDGET, WE ALWAYS DO THE EXERCISE OF LOOKING AT LINE ITEMS AND ARE THERE APPROPRIATIONS IN VARIOUS LINE ITEMS THAT WE CAN REDUCE OR ELIMINATE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
AND SO MANY OF LINES, NINE FOR THE SECOND TIME THROUGH LINE 18 ARE OR ACTUALLY 16 ARE A RESULT OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THEM IS AN ADDITIONAL POSITION ELIMINATION THAT WAS VOLUNTEERED BY A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IN MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL.
AND THE REST OF THEM ARE JUST A VARIETY OF SERVICES AND EXPENDITURES FOR WE'RE NOT HAVING TO INCUR ANYMORE BECAUSE OF HOW WE'VE CHANGED BUSINESS PRACTICES.
[INAUDIBLE] TEAM THAT ARE NO LONGER PROVIDES RECYCLING.
THEY HAD TO STOP THAT PROGRAM.
WE LOVE THOSE STUDENTS COMING INTO OUR BUILDINGS, BUT IT NO LONGER IS AN OPTION.
SO AND THEY'RE LISTED THERE FOR YOU.
AND THEN NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THAT SECTION'S LINES, 16 THROUGH 23 ARE REALLY SOME TOUGH DECISIONS IN ORDER TO GET TO A SAVINGS LEVEL THAT WE CAN PUT SOME NEW THINGS INTO, THE BUDGET.
AND THEN THE NEXT SECTION THERE IS TITLED COST OF DOING BUSINESS, THE SAME SERVICE.
WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE SYSTEM NEXT YEAR, THAT ARE GOING TO COST MORE THAN THIS YEAR AND THE BIGGEST ONE EVERY YEAR, AT LEAST FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
MORE SO THAN NOT, IS HEALTH INSURANCE AND WE ARE SELF-INSURED.
SO HEALTH INSURANCE RATE INCREASES ARE BASED ON UTILIZATION.
OUR CLAIMS DRIVE OUR PREMIUMS. AND SO WE HAVE TO SET ASIDE PREMIUMS. WE HAVE TO SET PREMIUMS BASED ON CURRENT AND PAST YEARS ACTUAL EXPERIENCE DATA.
THAT'S HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS.
AND THE OTHER THAT'S THE BIGGEST COMPONENT.
THE OTHER COMPONENT IS HEALTH CARE INFLATION.
AND THAT'S DATA THAT'S ARRIVED AT VIA COMMUNICATION WITH OUR CLAIMS CARRIER, CAREFIRST BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.
AND WHAT IS IT THEY'RE TELLING US IS HEALTH CARE INFLATION? THOSE TWO VARIABLES DRIVE RATE INCREASES.
SO HEALTH CARE INFLATION TENDS TO BE SOMEWHERE AROUND TWO TO THREE PERCENT.
SO THE BALANCE OF THAT FIVE PERCENT RATE INCREASES IS UTILIZATION.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE BENEFIT WE DON'T BUY IT FOR PEOPLE NOT TO USE IT.
YOU KNOW, HEALTH CARE IS THERE IF YOU NEED IT, YOU USE IT.
WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S THE BIGGEST RUNAWAY TRAIN IN ANYBODY'S BUDGET OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DECADES, IF NOT LONGER.
WE HAVE A VERY GREAT BOARD THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE BOARD, THE SIX SCHOOL SYSTEMS, INCLUDING US IN ONE COUNTY THAT MEET PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO LOOK AT PLAN DESIGN CHANGES AND NEW WAYS THAT WE CAN NOT DECREASE BENEFITS BUT HELP TO IMPLEMENT THINGS TO KEEP COST INCREASES DOWN.
SO THAT'S THE SINGLE BIGGEST LINE ITEM, THE SECOND BIGGEST IS SCHOOL BUSES.
MARYLAND IS VERY STRICT, 15 YEARS IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS A SCHOOL BUS CAN BE OPERATED IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
AND SO WE HAVE SEVERAL THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT OF SERVICE.
AND THAT REPRESENTS A PORTION OF THAT TOTAL COST THAT WE WOULD EXECUTE THROUGH A MULTI YEAR LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT.
WE LEFT THE LINES 28 THROUGH 31 IN THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY PUT IN AS INCREASES TO THE BUDGET.
BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN THE CARES 2 ALLOCATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, VIA
[00:35:05]
MSDE THAT BUDGET IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED.AND YOU'LL SEE THAT AS IT MOVES FORWARD THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE.
BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN OFFLOAD TO THAT GRANT THAT WERE BUILT INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THROUGH THAT ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
ALL THAT THEN BRINGS US TO A GRAND TOTAL SAVINGS OF JUST A LITTLE NORTH OF ONE POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
AND IT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PRIORITY THAT THOSE FUNDS, THAT THOSE SAVINGS BE USED TO PROVIDE A SALARY ENHANCEMENT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST STARTING THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS WITH OUR TEACHERS, WHICH IS OUR LARGEST EMPLOYEE GROUP.
AND UNTIL THAT PROCESS IS DONE, WE REALLY WON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER OR NOT.
BUT THAT'S A PLACEHOLDER AT THIS POINT TO GET US TO THAT BALANCED BUDGET.
AND THEN BOTTOM PART, THERE PART THREE ARE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WERE REQUESTED TO BE PART OF NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE DETAIL BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT ADDITIONAL NEW DOLLARS AND OR ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THAT CAN BE HAD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THEY'RE LISTED THERE FOR YOU BECAUSE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
AND THEY'LL ALSO BE SHARED WITH THE COMMISSIONERS THAT IF THE COMMISSIONERS SEE FIT TO APPROPRIATE, YOU KNOW, 60,000 NEW DOLLARS, THEN WE'LL START PICKING THOSE THINGS OFF.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO THERE SO THAT THE BOARD CAN SAY THAT THOSE WERE REQUESTS PUT FORTH BY PRINCIPALS AND OR DEPARTMENT HEADS.
BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, 13 AND THAT'S A TOUGH ONE, THERE'S A LOT OF TOUGH ONES ON HERE.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING FOR THAT, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND.
NO I GET IT I'M NOT QUESTIONING IT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YEAH, NO, ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE VERY MUCH ENJOYED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH BAY.
OUR CHILDREN HAVE REALLY GOTTEN A WEALTH OF LEARNING FROM THAT, BOTH INSTRUCTIONAL BOOK SMARTS, AS WELL AS JUST THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING AWAY AND OUTSIDE AND FORMING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PEERS.
VERY, VERY, INCREDIBLY TOUGH DECISION.
OUR NUMBERS HAVE BEEN DECREASING FOR ATTENDANCE OF SIXTH GRADERS AND WE HAVE DONE KIND OF A NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF WHY.
AND ACROSS THE GAMUT OF REASONS, WE WERE UNABLE TO GO THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY DUE TO COVID AND THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A TIME TO SINCE WE ARE ALREADY DOING OUR SERVICE LEARNING THAT OUR STUDENTS EARN IN SIXTH GRADE AT NORTH BAY, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TO DO THAT PORTION DIFFERENTLY THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE WITH SOME OF THOSE NEWLY FOUND THINGS FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DO HAVE THE SUPERVISOR OF SCIENCE LOOKING AROUND BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT ARE MORE LOCAL.
PICKERING CREEK FOR ONE, AND SOME OTHER PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE THAT MIGHT BE MORE LOCAL.
DAY TRIP OPPORTUNITIES WITH A SIMILAR CONCEPT BEHIND IT.
AND THERE'S THE ONE IN CHESTERTOWN.
AND WE DO ALREADY PARTNER WITH THE SULTANA.
SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT JUST BE MORE LOCAL.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT AT LEAST FOR NEXT YEAR, WHAT WILL PARENTS REALLY WANT TO ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO DO STILL COMING OUT OF COVID? AND SO IF, IF AND WHEN KIRWIN FUNDING ARRIVES, IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THIS HISTORICAL SHEET.
SO THAT SUMMARY SPREADSHEET IS PART OF TEN PLUS YEARS OF SHEETS JUST LIKE IT.
AND SO AS THE FY TWENTY THREE BUDGET BEGINS TO BE BUILT.
[00:40:04]
AND THE ANTICIPATION IS THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF NEW MONIES.ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY LOOKED AT IS, WHAT DID WE HAVE TO CUT THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO CUT? AND CAN THOSE THINGS NOW GO COME BACK INTO THE BUDGET? SO NOT TO SAY THAT'S GONE FOREVER.
BUT IN AN EFFORT TO GET TO A POINT WHERE THERE CAN BE SOMETHING PROVIDED FOR EMPLOYEES AS FAR AS SALARY ENHANCEMENT, SOME REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS.
IT'S REALLY EASY IN THE GOOD YEARS WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THE MONEY TO COME UP WITH A BALANCED BUDGET.
IT'S REALLY HARD IN THE TOUGH YEARS TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SOME REALLY, YOU KNOW, SOME TOUGH DECISIONS.
THERE'S ALSO AN OUTDOOR SCHOOL IN THE ANNAPOLIS AREA.
AND MS. WAYMAN WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK KIND OF OFFLINE ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS AND THINGS THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF ABSOLUTELY OR ANY OF WELL, AND AS A PARENT, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP, DONNA, BECAUSE AND MS. WAYMAN FOR THROWING OUT SUGGESTIONS, TOO, BECAUSE AS A BOARD MEMBER WHO'S GONE HIMSELF AS A BOARD MEMBER PRIOR TO KIDS BEING THAT AGE AND SEEING THE FIRST OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE HAD TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, OUR ENTIRE SIXTH GRADE, IT WAS LIKE A CARAVAN OF KIDS FROM CAROLINE COUNTY GOING NORTH.
AND WE ALWAYS TOOK PRIDE IN BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE WHOLE COUNTY.
AND SOME OF THE KIDS MAYBE HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTY, LET ALONE OFF THE SHORE THAT FAR AWAY FROM HOME.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF PRIDE IN THAT.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THINGS EVEN BIGGER THAN EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, CHARACTER AND RELATIONSHIPS AND EXPOSURE TO TEAMWORK AND THINGS WERE HAPPENING THERE.
SO IT'S HARD TO SEE THAT ON THIS BUDGET.
BUT AGAIN, WE SAVED THAT MONEY THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GO.
WHO KNOWS WHAT NEXT YEAR'S GOING TO BRING? IT IS SIGNIFICANT, BUT FOR I THINK I COULD BE WRONG.
BUT SOME OF THOSE ITEMS AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE ON THERE A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY WORTHWHILE, SMALL ENOUGH THAT IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY I MEAN, WE HAVE THE ABILITY WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, RAINY DAY FUNDS, WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] FUNDS THAT I THINK THE VERY FIRST TIME OF NORTH BAY STARTED COSTING US MONEY.
WE HAD TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT WASN'T IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT WAS ALWAYS A STATE GRANT THAT COVERED EVERYTHING.
AND THE VERY FIRST YEAR THAT STATE GRANT DISAPPEARED, ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE BOARD HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO FISH OR CUT BAIT.
AND WE FISHED WITH SOME EMERGENCY FUNDS WE DUG UP AND FOUND BECAUSE IT WAS WORTHWHILE.
SO WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, SOME OF THESE LITTLER ITEMS, I THINK LIKE NORTH BAY, HOPEFULLY TO MR. NAGLE'S POINT WILL BE FOUND AGAIN.
BUT IT'S HARD, HARDER EVEN TO BALANCE A BUDGET TO SEE AT THE TOP THE SAME POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NEED, YOU KNOW, WHETHER REGARDLESS OF WHAT SCHOOL THEY WERE IN, POSITIONS TO SERVE AS OUR STUDENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN HOLDING AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN SCHOOL.
SO, OK, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO BE IN SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'RE NOT YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE HOLDING THEM.
AND THE PRIORITY OF THOSE EVEN OVER THE ONES, THE POTENTIAL ADDITIONS THAT ARE LISTED THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NEEDED BY WHEREVER THEY'RE COMING FROM, TRANSPORTATION PRINCIPALS, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL ED OR WHOEVER, IT'S HARD TO SEE THOSE POSITIONS SITTING THERE.
WHAT ABOUT MAINTENANCE THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM.
CHANGED IN THE BUDGET, OF WHETHER THEY WERE ADDED OR TAKEN OUT OR.
SO ACTUAL IS WHAT WE CALL IT, SO IF WE HAD A BUDGET ITEM THAT WAS THOUSAND DOLLARS IS THE ACTUAL WAS THAT WE ONLY THAT.
11 MAINTENANCE PLAN IN YOUR FULL BUDGET DOCUMENT, WHICH IN CATEGORY 10 BEGINS ON
[00:45:09]
PAGE 67 AND MAINTENANCE FILES THAT BEGINS ON PAGE SEVENTY SIX.JUST ENABLES YOU TO COMPLY WITH THE COUNTY'S BUDGET CALENDAR AND GET A REQUEST OVER TO THEM.
WE HAVE YOU KNOW, THE LAW SAYS THAT THEY ARE, AS A FUNDING AGENCY, HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT AND PUT FORTH THAT REQUEST.
BUT IN SOME SYSTEMS, IN SOME COUNTIES ACTUALLY SCRUTINIZE LINE ITEMS. OUR COUNTY HAS NOT FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES.
AND SO IT'S NOT SENDING IT TO THEM FOR THEM TO SCRUTINIZE.
SO FLEXIBILITY AS TO WHAT IS WHERE AND NOW APPLIES MOVES TO THE BOARD IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, WITH THE GOAL OF OBTAINING A BALANCED BUDGET THAT IS THEN ADOPTED AND IMPLEMENTED ON OR BEFORE JULY ONE.
IT IS INTERESTING TO LOOK THROUGH THE LARGER DOCUMENT AND SEE THE CATEGORIES AND HOW THINGS ARE BROKEN OUT AND WHERE THINGS ARE PUT AND YOU KNOW, TO COMMISSIONER DIGIACOMO'S QUESTION, IF THINGS ARE WORKING AND TO DR. SAELENS POINT IF THINGS ARE WORKING WELL, IF THINGS ARE APPROPRIATE AND THERE'S NO MAJOR IDENTIFIED NEED IN THE BUDGET ROUNDTABLE, WE'RE KIND OF STICKING TO THOSE NUMBERS UNLESS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IS POINTED OUT IN THE BUDGET ROUNDTABLE, THIS IS INCREASING OR THAT'S INCREASING OR WE'RE NOT USING THIS ITEM ANYMORE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S NORTH BAY, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A LINE ITEM.
YOU KNOW, I'M REALIZING WE WERE CONSISTENTLY DOING IT ENOUGH.
I THINK IT DID START IN RAINY DAY FUNDS, BUT THEN WE WERE DOING IT CONSISTENTLY ENOUGH.
YEAH, AGAIN, THE PREMISE OF THE ONE PAGER IS WHAT'S DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR THAN THIS YEAR.
SO THERE'S TONS AND TONS OF LINE ITEMS THAT HAVE APPROPRIATIONS IN WHICH THE CURRENT APPROPRIATION FOR THIS YEAR IS WE FEEL SUFFICIENT FOR NEXT YEAR.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY BUDGETED FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT NON-SALARIED AND SALARY THINGS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET.
BUT REMEMBER, WE ARE A PEOPLE BUSINESS.
SO 80 PERCENT ROUGHLY OF THE DOLLARS IN OUR LINE ITEM DETAIL HERE DEAL WITH SALARY AND RELATED COSTS.
YOU KNOW, FIXED COST OF EMPLOYMENT OF THE OTHER 20 PERCENT REMAINING 20 PERCENT.
A BIG CHUNK OF THAT IS UTILITIES.
THE COST TO OPERATE OUR BUILDINGS AND BUS CONTRACTS, THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH GETTING STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
WHEN YOU CARVE ALL THOSE OUT IT LEAVES NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DISCRETIONARY MONIES IN THE BUDGET.
SO THAT'S WHERE GRANTS MIGHT COME IN TO FILL GAPS AND HOLES THAT YOU'LL LOOK FOR AND ALL THOSE SORT OF THINGS THAT COME UP DURING THE YEAR.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM IN ADVANCE, SEE THEM COMING.
I KNOW YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AT ALL THAT.
AND TO MS. DIGIACOMO'S QUESTION, I WAS SCROLLING THROUGH AND LOOKING AT PAGE 69 AND IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER TIME.
I GET THAT BECAUSE ONE HUNDRED PAGE BUDGET, I WOULD'VE LIKED IT IF YOU WENT THROUGH EVERY PAGE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SLEEP AT NIGHT MUCH ANYWAY, SO I JUST STAY HERE TILL 4:00 A.M.. BUT NO I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY OR WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE NEEDING A LOT OF COFFEE.
AS WE HAVE STATED, FOR MANY THINGS THAT WE DO ARE VERY COMPLICATED.
AND THE BUDGET IS ALSO A VERY COMPLICATED DOCUMENT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND HOURS THAT GO INTO A PROCESS THAT STARTS WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM SOMETHING THAT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING, BUT WELL WORTH THAT TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN MUCH, MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN ANY OTHER YEAR.
SO BOARD NOT TRYING TO SHORTCUT ANY CONVERSATION IF WE HAD ANY DISCUSSION OR CONVERSATION.
BUT LIKE WE SAID, THESE NUMBERS, IT IS IT'S NOT JUST A COVID ITEM WHERE NUMBERS ARE CONTINUALLY TO CHANGE, CHANGING THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET.
I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT COVID OR NO COVID.
SO THESE ARE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS THAT TO OUR BEST KNOWLEDGE AND WE'RE TRYING
[00:50:03]
TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET SO WE CAN MOVE IT FORWARD TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THEM TO START THEIR PROCESS BY FEBRUARY 9TH.I THINK MR. NAGLE'S GIVING A GOOD PRESENTATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONVERSATION? HEARING NONE.
I MAKE A MOTION WE ACCEPT THE OPERATING BUDGET AS PRESENTED BY MR. NAGLE.
MOTION BY MS. DILL SECOND BY MR. BARTON TO ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
AT THIS TIME ANY ADDITIONAL AT THIS FINAL DISCUSSION.
HEARING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AYE.
SO WHEN COMMISSIONERS HAVE THEIR BUDGET HEARING IS IT A HELPFUL THING BEING A ROOKIE BOARD MEMBER HERE TO HAVE BOARD MEMBERS SHOW UP AND COMMENT.
I'M ASKING A QUESTION I KNOW THE ANSWER TO, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF THAT.
BUT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'LL DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DID IT LAST SPRING, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'LL DO IT THIS YEAR WITH COVID.
BUT THERE'LL BE SOME MECHANISM TO DO THAT.
AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING AT HOME TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS AND GO TO THOSE HEARINGS OR PARTICIPATE WHATEVER WAY THEY CAN AND SUPPORT THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM OR MAKE WHATEVER COMMENTS THEY WANT.
THEY WANT PEOPLE TO TESTIFY, TO COMMENT ON THE BUDGET AND ON ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT RACHEL GETS YOU THOSE DATES THE COUNTY'S BUDGET CALENDAR AND THOSE DATES HAVE BEEN SET.
THEY ARE SCHEDULED THIS TIME TO BE VIRTUAL BUDGET HEARINGS AS I UNDERSTAND.
BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE COUNTY'S APPROPRIATION TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THEIR SINGLE LARGEST APPROPRIATION.
AND SO AS THE SINGLE LARGEST RECIPIENT OF COUNTY FUNDS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BOARDS BE PRESENT AND APPRECIATION OF THAT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
AND THE COMMISSIONERS APPRECIATE THE ATTENDANCE AND THE COMMENTARY.
AND EVEN IF IT'S JUST RECOGNITION FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT BY THE COMMISSIONERS AND A GREAT RELATIONSHIP THAT'S OCCURRED.
SO IT'S A GOOD THING FOR ALL OF US AND PARENTS AND ANYBODY AT ALL, EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TESTIFY OR COMMENT.
JUST BE THERE JUST SHOW SUPPORT.
AND INDEED THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS 4.03 CONTRACT FOR CLOUD MANAGED LAN SWITCHES.
PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
BUT BASICALLY WE HAVE AIR HIVES IN OUR CEILINGS.
AIR HIVES RIGHT THERE, THAT LITTLE BOX OVER THE GREEN LIGHT.
OK, THAT IS THE DEVICE THAT'S ENABLING YOUR DEVICE, YOUR LAPTOPS, TO COMMUNICATE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND ACCESS ALL OUR SERVICES.
WE LITERALLY HAVE HUNDREDS OF BEES THROUGHOUT, IF NOT THOUSANDS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
THIS PROCUREMENT WON'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL JULY ONE.
SO 80 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR HERE, SO 80 PERCENT OF THIS LINE ITEM WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THE LOCAL COST IS ONLY 20 PERCENT, BUT IT ENABLES THESE DEVICES TO BE CONTROLLED VIA THE CLOUD TO BE PUT UP.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE TO BE TOUCHED INDIVIDUALLY.
AND I'M LOOKING AT OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT OVER HERE.
IF I STUMBLE TOO, HARD, HE'S GOING TO JUMP IN [INAUDIBLE] ON THE RIGHT PATH.
THERE THEY ARE CLOUD MANAGED NOW BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF MANAGING THE HARDWARE NETWORK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SYSTEM.
THIS NEW UPGRADE WILL UPGRADE THE SPEED OF OUR AND PROVIDE A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT ROLLS THE WI-FI IN THE HARDWARE AND ALL MIC] SO WE CAN SEE WHAT KIND OF ALL WITH ONE INTERFACE.
NOW, WE HAVE NO SUCH CONTROL OF THE SOME THE COMPANY THAT WE'RE BUYING INTO WITH THIS PURCHASE IS ACTUALLY THEY DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG WI-FI, BOUGHT THAT OR MADE THAT THERE WIFI DIVISION GOING TO TRY TO BUY INTO HARDWIRED, LAND UPGRADES TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER.
[00:55:11]
BUT THIS GIVES US A CHANCE MIC] AND ALL THE CONCERNS ABOUT SECURITY AND MONITORING FOR RANSOMWARE AND THAT SORT OF THING.TAKE WITH ALL THE DEVICES THAT WE HAVE ON LINE, ONCE MORE AND MORE STUDENTS RETURN TO THE BUILDING IT'S BECOME EVEN MORE CRITICAL BEING TAKEN.
ERATABLE AND THE LOCAL COST, THE TRUE NET LOCAL COST IS BUILT IN TO THE TECHNOLOGY LINE ITEMS WITHIN THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR WHICH YOU JUST APPROVED.
IN ONE BID SUSAN PHELPS OUR PURCHASING AGENT WHO WAS INVOLVED IN SO THIS UPGRADE COVERS ALL OUR BUILDINGS.
AND WON'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL JULY, BUT THE TIMING OF IT NOW HAS TO BE IN LINE WITH THE ERATE TIMELINE.
FEDERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ERATE PROGRAM HAS CERTAIN DEADLINES YOU GOT TO MEET IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS LINED UP FOR JULY ONE EXPENDITURE THAT IS WHY IT'S COMING BEFORE YOU NOW, NOT SOMETIME LATER IN THE SPRING OR SOMETHING CLOSER TO JULY ONE.
I DIDN'T THINK OF THIS UNTIL JUST NOW.
AND SO BUT SO IF WE DIDN'T GO FROM ZERO STUDENTS WITH LAPTOPS FOR THE MOST PART TO ALL OUR STUDENTS HAVING LAPTOPS OR IPADS, WOULD WE HAVE DONE WOULD WE THINK THIS BID WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THIS SPRING OR WERE WE FINE UNTIL WE UPGRADED? THAT'S JUST ONE COMPONENT OF THAT.
THERE'S ALSO THE WHOLE EDUCATION IS NOW A TARGETED SECTOR FOR RANSOMWARE.
SO MORE SO THAN IT'S EVER BEEN AND AS EVIDENCED BY BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL RANSOMWARE ATTACK BACK DURING THE HOLIDAYS.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING EMAILS FROM THE STATE ALMOST DAILY NOW ABOUT CYBER SECURITY THREATS AND OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT IS GOING THROUGH SOME PRETTY EXTENSIVE UPDATES RIGHT NOW WITH SOME OF OUR THIRD PARTY VENDORS THAT HOST A LOT OF OUR PLATFORMS LIKE GOOGLE.
BUT THERE'S STILL SOME VULNERABILITY ON OUR LOCAL NETWORK WITH JUST OUR STAFF THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE COMPONENT OF IT, BUT CERTAINLY A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS USING THE TECHNOLOGY.
NO, THIS IS ALL HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.
RIGHT, BUT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS COMING BACK USING THE COMPUTER.
FOR GOOGLE CLASSROOM AND ACCESSING THE INTERNET.
I MEAN, THIS IS THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER ON, BUT WE ARE ASKING THAT STUDENTS BRING THEIR DEVICES AND CHARGERS WITH THEM TO AND FROM THE BUILDING WHEN THEY RETURN.
WE HAVE THE ANTICIPATION IS THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ONE ZOOM FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, BUT ASSIGNMENT'S WILL STILL BE POSTED ON THE GOOGLE CLASSROOM.
THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE USE COMPUTERS FOR THAT NOW THERE ARE NO CARTS IN THE BUILDINGS, BUT STUDENTS WOULD HAVE THEIR INDIVIDUAL DEVICE.
SO THERE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO STILL BE USING THEIR DEVICES WITHIN THE SCHOOL BUILDING WHEN THEY RETURN.
THEY JUST MAY NOT BE ON ZOOM ALL DAY.
THEY WOULD HAVE THAT IN PERSON TEACHER.
NOW THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THEY COULD BE ON ZOOM WITH FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES.
FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH A ZOOM STUDENT.
SO A VIRTUAL LEARNER AT HOME AND AN IN-PERSON STUDENT COULD PARTNER TOGETHER INSTRUCTIONALLY THROUGH ZOOM.
THAT WOULD BE ONE REASON WHY THEY MIGHT BE ON ZOOM DURING THE DAY.
IF THERE IS A SITUATION WHERE A TEACHER IS OUT AND A SUBSTITUTE IS IN THE ROOM, BUT THE TEACHER IS ABLE TO TELEWORK THE STUDENTS MAY BE ON ZOOM FOR THAT CLASS PERIOD.
SO THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO BE ON THEIR DEVICES DURING THE DAY.
DOES THAT KIND OF ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
SO MAYBE THERE'S A DISCONNECT SOMEWHERE THAT.
THERE POSSIBLY IS I HAVE SENT OUT GUIDANCE TO ALL TEACHERS IN ALL BUILDINGS
[01:00:03]
AND ADMINISTRATION, SOME OF THOSE EXACT VERBIAGE, WORDS THAT I JUST SHARED.BUT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS FROM TEACHERS OR STAFF, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
OR THEIR PRINCIPLE ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE CLARIFYING QUESTION.
JUST TO BE SURE, I THINK I UNDERSTOOD CORRECT, ALL THE EXPENSE FOR THIS IS ALREADY IN THE BUCKET.
NO, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE PROPOSAL RANKING.
[INAUDIBLE] AND I'M ASSUMING THAT AFTER BEING ON THE BOARD FOR A LITTLE BIT [INAUDIBLE] I'LL START TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THIS.
GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE BIT OF [INAUDIBLE] TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
MARK, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO TECHNICAL SCORE? THE TECHNICAL TECHNICAL SCORE IS HOW WELL THE [INAUDIBLE] COMPLIES WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE ASK [INAUDIBLE] SPECS THAT WE WANT TO SEE OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
THE TECHNICAL SCORE IS BROKEN DOWN INTO OTHER CATEGORIES.
DON'T HAVE THEM IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.
THE [INAUDIBLE] SCORE BASICALLY JUST SAID THAT THEY THE COMPANY THAT HAD A HIGHER SCORE DID A BETTER JOB OF ADDRESSING [INAUDIBLE].
SO THIS FINANCIAL SCORE, THE PRICE.
THE FINANCIAL SCORE, THE PRICE OF COMPARISON.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE TECHNICAL SCORE DID BETTER ON IF THEY BROKE IT DOWN MORE CLEARLY, PRECISELY IN PARALLEL, EXACTLY WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO.
AND THIS ISN'T THE CASE HERE, BUT JUST HAS IT EVER HAPPENED WHERE SOMEBODY HAD A GOOD TECHNICAL SCORE, BUT THEY WERE CHARGING MORE? ABSOLUTELY.
THE LATITUDE UNDER THE PROCUREMENT LAW OF MARYLAND ALLOWS TO NOT TAKE THE LOW BID.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED.
IT'S NOT PRICE IS ONLY ONE COMPONENT.
BUT TO ME, THE TECHNICAL SCORE [INAUDIBLE].
AND WE HAVE TAKEN THE NON LOW BID ON A VARIETY OF CASES.
ACTUALLY CALLED COMPETITIVE SELECTION.
FOR THE SUBCATEGORIES OF THE TECHNICAL SCORE, [INAUDIBLE] IS JUST THE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT VENDOR IN THE PAST.
AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAD [INAUDIBLE].
SO THAT FACTOR WAS HIGH FOR THEM.
WE HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE OTHER COMPANIES, EVEN THAT CATEGORY [INAUDIBLE].
HE WASN'T SURE WE CAN BE CONFIDENT WITH SOMETHING THAT [INAUDIBLE].
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
ARE WE COMFORTABLE AND MOTION IN THE SECOND TO MOVE THIS ACTION ITEM FORWARD ? AND SO MOVED.
MS. WAYMAN MOVED TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT THE CDW BID.
SECOND BY MR. DIGIACOMO, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT UP AND RUNNING.
SO WE HAD AND IT'S NICE WHEN IT'S 80 PERCENT SOMEBODY ELSE IS PAYING FOR IT RIGHT? NEXT IS OUR.
I'M EXCITED TO HEAR AN UPDATE ON OUR NEW AGENDA ITEM 4.04 BUDGETARY SAVINGS PLAN.
PRESIDENT NEWCOMB AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THIS EVENING WE HAVE AN ACTION ITEM FOR YOU.
AND I'M RECOMMENDING THAT THE BOARD PLEASE APPROVE THIS PAYMENT AS A ONE TIME BUDGETARY SAVINGS PAYMENTS TO ALL PERMANENT BOARD OF EDUCATION EMPLOYEES.
AND THE [INAUDIBLE] STORY OR BACKGROUND HERE [INAUDIBLE], DUE TO THE SAVINGS OF ONE TIME SAVINGS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERAL COST CUTTING MEASURES BECAUSE OF COVID, THESE FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS BUDGETARY SAVINGS PAYMENT TO ALL OF OUR PERMANENT EMPLOYEES.
AND THERE'S AN ATTACHED SPREADSHEET THAT I'M ALLOW MR. NAGEL TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE IT IS VERY TECHNICAL IN TERMS, BUDGETARY TAXES AND THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT THE WHOLE PREMISE BEHIND IT REALLY IN COLLABORATION, OBVIOUSLY, WITH BOARD MEMBERS WHO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD IS TO ESSENTIALLY SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT OUR STAFF HAS DONE AND TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE DURING THESE INCREDIBLY HARD TIMES.
WHILE IT IS A VERY SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION.
IT IS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION THAT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY THANK YOU
[01:05:01]
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH, BUT WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO BACK IT UP WITH THAT DOES GO A LONG WAY.SO IT IS A SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE HARD WORK.
AND IT'S VERY I MEAN, I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE A PART OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
I THINK WE HAVE LED THE WAY IN EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE WHAT HAS BEEN THROWN AT US DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
AND I THINK WE CONSISTENTLY CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE NEED THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH.
AND SO THIS, AGAIN, IS JUST A SMALL TOKEN OF THAT.
SO I'LL ALLOW MR. NAGEL TO GET THROUGH UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME, TO GO THROUGH, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WOULD THE TIMELINE FOR THAT BE? I HAVE A QUESTION.
I MENTIONED I HEARD YOU MENTION PERMANENT EMPLOYEES.
IS THAT BASED ON OUR PART TIME EMPLOYEES ARE NOT? PERMANENT MEANS THAT THEY THAT THEY ARE A REGULAR EMPLOYEE, THAT THEY'RE NOT FILLING OUT A TIME SHEET, THAT THEY WORK A REGULAR SET SCHEDULE.
WE HAVE WE HAVE OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CONSIDERED OCCASIONAL TEMPORARY.
WHICH THEY MAY REPORT EVERY DAY, BUT THEY'RE NOT DESIGNATED AS PERMANENT.
AND THE DIFFERENCE THE REAL DIFFERENCE IS THAT AT THE END OF ANY FISCAL YEAR, OCCASIONAL TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES HAVE NO GUARANTEE OF REEMPLOYMENT NEXT YEAR.
AND TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, IN SOME CASES, OCCASIONAL TEMPORARIES HAVE THE LATITUDE OF WORKING WHEN THEY WANT AND NOT WORKING WHEN THEY DON'T WANT.
THEY HAVE NO THEY DON'T GET PAID SICK LEAVE OR ANY OTHER SORTS OF BENEFITS WHERE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES GET BENEFITS.
PRESIDENT NEWCOMB AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AS I ARTICULATED AS PART OF THE FY 22 BUDGET PROPOSAL, YOU SAW ON THAT ONE PAGE SUMMARY, A NUMBER OF ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN EITHER THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND OR AS WE'VE DEVELOPED THE FY 22 BUDGET THAT HAVE ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SAVINGS.
AND WHILE SOME OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE PROPOSED TO BE SUSTAINED IN THE NEXT YEAR, THERE ARE REAL SAVINGS IN THIS FISCAL BUDGET.
AND THEY WERE DONE OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, ANTICIPATING THAT THE GOVERNOR MAY INTRODUCE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CUT FUNDING TO AID EDUCATION MID-YEAR.
WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE COMFORTABLE THAT THOSE REAL SAVINGS DOLLARS ARE GOING TO REMAIN HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
AND AS DR. SAELENS ALLUDED TO, OUR STAFF ACROSS THE BOARD HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND DONE THE RIGHT THING FOR KIDS.
AND SO IT'S TIME TO, IN A SMALL WAY, SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
AND SO WHAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS A PROPOSED PAYMENT TO AND THE NUMBER IS 930.
WE HAD 930 PERMANENT EMPLOYEES, A PAYMENT OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH TO THEM.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE BOARD PAYING FOR THE ASSOCIATED PAYROLL COSTS.
SO THAT THE IMPACT TO THEIR PAYCHECK, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THEIR PAYCHECK WOULD BE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO FIVE HUNDRED HOURS.
IT COULD BE OFF A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF WHAT COUNTY THEY LIVE IN AND THAT SOME COUNTY PIGGYBACK TAX RATES ARE DIFFERENT THAN CAROLINE.
BUT FOR PURPOSES OF OUR GROSSING UP THE PAYMENT, WE'VE USED THE CAROLINE COUNTY PIGGYBACK TAX ADDED ON TOP OF THE STATE PIGGYBACK TAX.
SO IT WOULD PAY FOR THE BOARD SHARE, THE EMPLOYEE SHARE OF SOCIAL SECURITY TAX, WHICH IS SEVEN POINT SIXTY FIVE PERCENT, THE EMPLOYEE'S FEDERAL WITHHOLDING TAX.
AND THIS IS CONSIDERED A SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENT AND THEREFORE IT GOES TO OUR SUPPLEMENTAL PAY SCALE.
AND THAT SUPPLEMENTAL FEDERAL TAX RATE IS 22 PERCENT.
AND THEN THE STATE TAXES WOULD BE THE MARYLAND INCOME TAX RATE AND LOCAL PIGGYBACK TAX RATE ON OR ABOUT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN EIGHT PERCENT.
SO THE TOTAL TAXES IN ORDER TO GENERATE THAT NET SAVINGS PAYMENT OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS IS JUST A LITTLE OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS, WHICH MEANS THE GROSS PAYMENT TO EVERY EMPLOYEE WOULD BE JUST A LITTLE OVER EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT THREE HUNDRED DOLLAR NET PAYMENT TO THE EMPLOYEE.
SO THAT GROSS PAYMENT OF EIGHT HUNDRED ONE DOLLARS AND TWENTY EIGHT CENTS TIMES THAT NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MANY WE HAVE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES YIELDS TOTAL GROSS PAYMENT COST OF SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY FIVE THOUSAND
[01:10:03]
DOLLARS.WE THEN ARE ALSO AS THE EMPLOYER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EMPLOYER'S SHARE OF SOCIAL SECURITY COSTS, WHICH IS THE OTHER SIDE, THAT SEVEN POINT SIXTY FIVE PERCENT.
IT'S AN ADDITIONAL FIFTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH BRINGS THE SUBTOTAL COST TO PROVIDE THIS THE SAVINGS PAYMENT TO A LITTLE OVER 800,000 DOLLARS.
WE DID THIS, PREVIOUS BOARD DID THIS BACK IN 2010, 2011 WHEN A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES MUCH DIFFERENT.
WE WERE IN A RECESSION AND UNABLE TO DO A LOT OF THINGS.
AND SO WE DID HAVE SOME SAVINGS THERE AND WE PASSED THOSE ALONG.
WE ALSO THEN AND THIS TIME PROPOSED AS WELL TO EXTEND THAT SAME PAYMENT TO OUR BUS CONTRACTORS.
MOST OF OUR BUS CONTRACTORS ARE OUR EMPLOYEES NOW, AND THEY EITHER OWN THE BUS AND LEASE IT TO US OR THEY DRIVE A BUS THAT WE OWN.
BUT WE STILL HAVE 13 THAT ARE PART OF AN LLC.
AND SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO EXTEND THEM THAT SAME SAVINGS PAYMENT.
WOULDN'T BE TAXES COMING OUT OF IT BECAUSE THEY'RE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN TAXES.
WE DON'T GET INTO THAT WITH THEM.
SO THEN AN ADDITIONAL SIXTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, BRINGING THE GRAND TOTAL OF THIS PROPOSAL TO JUST A LITTLE OVER EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, IF YOU WERE TO REFER BACK TO THE BUDGET SUMMARY, WE'RE WELL ABOVE THAT IN ONE TIME COSTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN OBTAINED.
AND THERE'S SOME THINGS ON THERE THAT AREN'T ON THAT ON THAT BUDGET SUMMARY THAT WE'VE OBTAINED SAVINGS IN THIS YEAR THAT AREN'T SUSTAINABLE.
FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVEN'T INCURRED SUBSTITUTE COSTS NEARLY TO THE LEVEL WE DO IN NORMAL TIMES.
SO WE'VE GOT SUBSTITUTE COST SAVINGS, BUT SUBSTITUTE COST SAVINGS AREN'T SUSTAINABLE, SO WE CAN'T BUDGET FOR THEM FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT THEY'RE REAL SAVINGS THIS YEAR.
SAME THING WITH ATHLETICS AND FIELD TRIPS FOR ATHLETICS.
YOU KNOW, THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ATHLETICS.
HOPEFULLY WE INCUR SOME OF THAT IN SPRING, BUT CONSERVED.
AND WE'VE YOU KNOW, WE FIGURED THAT IN, WHAT WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE SPRING, WE'RE IN GOOD ENOUGH POSITION TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.
AND AGAIN, JUST FULL DISCLOSURE THAT THAT NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OT, WHICH STANDS FOR OCCASIONAL TEMPORARY STAFF OR SUBSTITUTES AND EVEN YOUR DAILY SUBS.
WE DO HAVE PERMANENT SUBS IN EVERY BUILDING.
THEY ARE CONSIDERED PERMANENT EMPLOYEES.
BUT YOUR DAILY SUBS OR ANY LONG TERM SUB FOR A TEACHER THAT MAY BE OUT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THEY'RE STILL CONSIDERED DAILY.
SUBS ARE NOT PERMANENT EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT.
THEIR LENGTH OF EMPLOYMENT IS NOT, IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS [INAUDIBLE], AND IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, WE CONSIDER THIS A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES.
AND IF I HAD WON THAT BILLION DOLLAR LOTTERY, IT'D HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE, [LAUGHTER] BUT I DIDN'T WIN.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.
YES, NO MATTER WHAT THE POSITION IS, IT'S PERMANENT.
AND THEY'RE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR INPUT THAT THEY'VE DONE.
AND IT'S LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE] THERE ARE THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE THE UNSUNG HERO, I MEAN, THROUGH THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC AND IN THE BEGINNING WHEN NOBODY HAD ANY IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, THEY WERE STILL COMING IN, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY GOT THERE.
THEY CAME IN IN THE SUMMER AND THEY DESERVE HUGE THANK YOU AND PAT ON THE BACK.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSCORE THE EFFORT TO MAKE IT 500 DOLLARS AFTER TAXES SO THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING EXACTLY WHAT THAT NUMBER SAYS OR CLOSE TO IT AS YOU CAN, BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] EVERYBODY SITUATION'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHERE THEY LIVE, WHAT THEIR TAXES ARE, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THAT A LOT OF PLACES WOULDN'T DO THAT.
THEY WOULD JUST SAY, HERE'S FIVE HUNDRED AND YOU MAY END UP GETTING THREE FIFTY OR THREE HUNDRED OR, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE TAXES ARE CONSIDERED.
SO MY COMPLIMENTS ON THAT EFFORT.
AND THAT'S I THINK THAT'S JUST FOR EXTRA NOTICE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? I'M EXCITED THAT YOU WERE ABLE STAFF WAS ABLE TO PULL THIS TOGETHER AND LOOK AT THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ADDITIONAL EXPENSES, A LOT OF ADDITIONAL UNKNOWNS.
AND THANK GOODNESS, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS STEPPED UP AND SENT US SOME MONEY TO OFFSET SOME OF THESE EXTRA EXPENSES, RIGHTFULLY SO.
[01:15:01]
STAFF FROZE SOME OF THESE POSITIONS.ADMINISTRATION FIRST, AND IT'S TOUGH TO WATCH THEM SIT THERE FROZEN.
BUT IT WAS THE RIGHT I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT MOVE.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE COMING TO THE END OF THE, YOU KNOW, GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE RUN AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT HAVE THESE FUNDS, WE SHOULD HAVE THESE OK TO DO THIS REWARDING STAFF OR, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.
GIVING THE STAFF A THANK YOU FOR ALL THE EXTRA HEADACHES THAT WE KNOW THEY'VE ALL HAD IS VERY, VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY.
I HOPE THEY APPRECIATE I KNOW THEY WILL.
WHEN WOULD THEY BE GETTING IT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE'LL WORK OUT THE LOGISTICS OF [INAUDIBLE] PAY.
AND SO WHEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT GOES OUT TO ALL STAFF, THAT WILL INCLUDE WHAT THE PAY DATE IS.
IF FOR STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN HERE WERE HERE.
BACK IN 2010, 2011, IT WAS A SEPARATE CHECK AND IT WAS A PHYSICAL CHECK THAT THEY HAD TO TAKE TO THE BANK.
WE'RE IN A POSITION NOW OR IT WILL BE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IT'S GOING TO BE ADDED ONTO INTO A REGULAR PAY.
SO IT WILL SHOW UP AS PART OF THEIR REGULAR PAY AND THE AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT IN THEIR NET PAY FOR A PARTICULAR PAY PERIOD.
AND WE PAY TWICE A MONTH, YOU KNOW, FIFTEENTH AND THE LAST DAY.
I HIGHLY DOUBT WE'LL GET IT IN THE FIFTEEN PAY BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY WORK AS SOON AS ONE PAYROLL'S DOWN THEIR WORKING ON THE NEXT.
BUT THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR THE END OF FEBRUARY PAY TO HAVE IT WORKED OUT.
WE WANT TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TESTING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE'VE GROSSED IT UP CORRECTLY AND THAT AND RUN SOME SAMPLES THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT ACROSS DIFFERENT EMPLOYEE GROUPS, THE PAYROLL IS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED.
ESPECIALLY WITH ALL DIFFERENT EMPLOYEE CLASSES THAT WE HAVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THE BOARD'S SEEN THE PRESENTATION.
I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL FOR THE BUDGETARY, I WANT TO SAY IT RIGHT.
BUDGETARY SAVINGS PAYMENT TO PERMANENT STAFF.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
ALL THOSE OPPOSE? NONE, UNANIMOUS.
AND THANK YOU TO THE STAFF THAT'S SITTING HERE, WHO'S HERE IN THE BUILDING.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF [INAUDIBLE] IT'S JUST SO FRUSTRATING TO WATCH THE NEWS AND HEAR ABOUT TEACHERS.
ARE THEY GOING TO GET VACCINATED? I'M LIKE, ARE THEY? ANYBODY WHO'S WANTED IT I BELIEVE HAS GOTTEN IT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THEY COMING BACK TO THE BUILDINGS? YES, OURS HAVE BEEN IN THE BUILDINGS.
NOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN AGREE ON DISAGREE ON DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH SOME OF THOSE ITEMS, AS WE ALL HAVE SEEN, BRINGING KIDS BACK IN.
BUT I'M SO HAPPY AND PROUD OF WHAT CAROLINE COUNTY'S DONE FROM DAY ONE WITH OUR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS BEING IN THE BUILDING TO THE BUSSES ON THE ROAD, DELIVERING FOOD TO THE CAFETERIA LADIES, YOU KNOW, WORKING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME TO GET THE FOOD OUT THERE.
AND NOW OUR TEACHERS ARE REALLY, YOU KNOW, DOING EXTRA WORK WITH KIDS AT HOME AND KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND HOPEFULLY THIS IS JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING TO SAY.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND I APPRECIATE IT.
MOVING ON, GLAD WE GOT THAT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
NEXT ITEM IS MOVING INTO REPORTS AND HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT STILL SNOWING OUT AND
[5. Reports]
GETTING COLDER AND HOPE INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS DOING THEIR JOB.BUT BOARD REPORTS DO WE HAVE BEING ON VIRTUAL, I'LL START TO MY RIGHT, MS. DIGIACOMO DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YES.
IF WE CAN DO A HIGH OF THE OF THE MONTH.
I VISITED SIX SCHOOLS AND I ATTENDED VIRTUALLY THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY.
COLONEL RICHARDSON [INAUDIBLE].
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO MRS. HARRIS FOR HANDLING THAT AND DOING IT AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE STUDENTS.
I ATTENDED THEIR MEETING VIRTUALLY AND BETWEEN THE [INAUDIBLE] CLUB AND [INAUDIBLE] THEY RAISED OVER TWENTY SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE [INAUDIBLE].
AND IF YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO WATCH IT, IT'S GREAT.
AND THE MASCOT, [INAUDIBLE] DRESSED UP AS A AS THE BULLDOG AND TOOK THE FUNDS.
SO GREAT JOB TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
SO I'LL JUMP ON THAT FOR A SECOND OR PLUNGE ON THAT.
[01:20:01]
I'M WEARING MY SUPER PLUNGE MASK, VERY INVOLVED WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS SUPER PLUNGE.I KNOW THEIR THRILLED TO SEE THE PARTICIPATION, PARTICULARLY BY NORTH CAROLINE STAFF.
I WATCHED THE I GUESS IT WAS A ZOOM COVERAGE OF THEM DUMPING WATER ON EACH OTHER IS HILARIOUS.
BUT IN THE END, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS RAISING MONEY TO GO TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS, WHICH IS TRULY AN ORGANIZATION THAT CHANGES LIVES, THAT CHANGES STEREOTYPES.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE ATHLETES AND I HAVE SEEN WHAT IT DOES FOR THEM FIRSTHAND.
AND JUST NICE TO SEE THAT SUPPORT AND THE LEO CLUB INVOLVEMENT.
I MEAN, IT JUST IT JUST MAKES MY HEART FEEL GREAT, JUST WONDERFUL.
AND YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR HEART FEELING GREAT WHEN YOU GO IMMERSE FULLY INTO COLD WATER.
[LAUGHTER] IT WAS JUST AMAZING.
SO THE SECOND THING, I'LL JUST COMMENT REAL QUICKLY AND MR. NEWCOMB CAN TALK ABOUT THIS IN MORE DEPTH IF HE SO CHOOSES.
BUT I SAT IN ON PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE MEETING THAT [INAUDIBLE] HAS, HOLY SMOKES.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER WATCHED SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON ZOOM, IT'S AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE.
IT JUST I'M TRYING TO MANAGE THROUGH AND WORK THROUGH ALL OF THESE BILLS AND TO GET COMMENTS FROM EVERYONE.
AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON ZOOM WHO AREN'T MUTED.
SO YOU HEAR PHONE CONVERSATION, BARKING DOGS.
YOU KNOW HOW ZOOM WORKS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF HAPPENS.
AND THE COMMENTS WERE VERY GOOD FROM SOME OF THESE OTHER COUNTIES.
FOR ME AS A NEW BOARD MEMBER, TO HEAR THE COMMENTS FROM THE OTHER COUNTY IS VERY ENLIGHTENING.
SO ASIDE FROM A COMICAL PART OF THEM TRYING TO RUN AN EFFECTIVE MEETING THAT WAY, VERY ENLIGHTENING STUFF.
AND SO I APPRECIATE MR. NEWCOMB'S LEADERSHIP AS OUR REP ON THAT COMMITTEE, BUT OBSERVING IT AND WATCHING IT AND I'VE BEEN AROUND THE LEGISLATOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
THIS WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE THOSE OBSERVATIONS.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT.
I'M TRYING TO LAY LOW FROM COVID, SO.
SPLASH, IT WAS GREAT, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THEM PARTICIPATE AND GOOD THAT THEY PUT IT ON VIRTUALLY, SO WE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE EFFORT THEY PUT IN.
MR. POTTER AND MS. BUTLER FROM NORTH HIGH ARE SHARING WITH THE CHESAPEAKE A SELECTION FOR THE BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM.
THEY'VE HAD NORTH HIGH STUDENTS TO DO IT.
SO THAT'S BEEN GOOD IT'S AN ANNUAL PROGRAM, THAT BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM, THE CHESAPEAKE.
AND OF COURSE, WE WERE HOPING THE CHILDREN COULD PARTICIPATE PHYSICALLY, BUT THEY'VE ARRANGED IT VIRTUALLY.
AND I'VE TALKED TO ALL OF THE SECONDARY PRINCIPALS.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE ELEMENTARY JUST YET, BUT ALL FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS.
AND CCTC JUST TO SAY HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? I'M HERE.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE MR. DIGIACOMO GETTING OUT AND VISITING SCHOOLS AND AS A NEW BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD AND IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT WORLD, BUT I HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
I DID SIT IN ON A LEGISLATIVE MEETING, AND IT'S THIS TIME OF YEAR AS HECTIC AS IT IS NORMALLY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DEAL WITH A BUNCH OF ADULTS ON ZOOM IS PROBABLY MORE CHALLENGING THAN DEALING WITH A BUNCH OF KIDS, STUDENTS ON ZOOM.
BUT WE'LL JUST LEAVE LEGISLATIVE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE REPORTS IS THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.
[INAUDIBLE] I HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS THIS EVENING, ALL VERY IMPORTANT.
THE FIRST ONE IS [INAUDIBLE] OVER HERE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS MR. NAGEL AND MYSELF, WE TAKE TIME AND ENERGY INTO BANTER, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORDS, FOR A GOOD CAUSE FOR IMAGINATION LIBRARY.
SO WE KIND OF TEAM UP AGAINST EACH OTHER IN THE SCHOOLS AGAINST KIND OF THE SUPPORT SERVICES CENTER.
AND I WILL NOT LIE THE SUPPORT CENTER ALWAYS WINS.
THEY HAVE THE TIME CONTRACTORS AT [INAUDIBLE].
BUT IF NOT FROM A TOTAL LACK OF EFFORT FROM THE INSTRUCTIONAL SIDE OF THE SHOP AND EVERYONE THIS YEAR MORE THAN STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE TO RAISE MONEY, OUR GOAL WAS ALWAYS TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
[01:25:02]
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE DEBBIE [INAUDIBLE] KIND OF MAYBE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND SO I CAN SHARE A BIG CHECK WITH HER.THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO SERVE EIGHT HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN STUDENTS, WHICH IS OVER 10 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
[APPLAUSE] AGAIN, I CAN'T IT'S MORE THAN JUST ME, I [INAUDIBLE] EVERYBODY, BUT IT REALLY IS, MILTON'S LEADERSHIP WITH [INAUDIBLE] THE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH A BIG TIME CONTRACTORS ARE ABLE TO PULL IN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY [INAUDIBLE].
ONE OF THE BIG ONES ON [INAUDIBLE] AND [INAUDIBLE] FIRM IS ANOTHER BIG DONATOR.
SO IT TAKES EVERYBODY TO DO IT.
BUT I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS BIG CHECK FOR TWENTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.
[LAUGHTER] WELL, [INAUDIBLE] REALLY GET THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM THEN THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF AND JUST.
YOU'RE OUR BIGGEST DONOR [INAUDIBLE].
YES, AND WE LOVE TO BE PARTNERS WITH Y'ALL [INAUDIBLE] EVERY OTHER WAY YOU HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, BEING [INAUDIBLE] AND THE WHOLE AREAS THAT WE HAVE, [INAUDIBLE].
AND THIS IS AGAIN [INAUDIBLE] OUR APPRECIATION FOR GETTING FOLKS INTO THE HOMES OF OUR [INAUDIBLE].
[APPLAUSE] USUALLY WE'LL TAKE THIS BACK TO OUR CENTRAL OFFICE.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO SEE IT, [LAUGHTER] BUT RACHEL WILL SEND SOME PICTURES AND WE'LL GET THAT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND I WILL SHARE IT WITH OUR STAFF AND WE CAN DISPLAY IT UP HERE [INAUDIBLE].
AND I'M GOING TO [INAUDIBLE] IT NOW.
[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] REALLY APPRECIATE DR. SAELENS, YOU AND MR. NAGEL SPEARHEADING THIS AND ALL THE STAFF AND CONTRACTORS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS WHO'VE DONATED TO THOSE FUNDS AND ALLOWED US TO OFFER THAT.
IT'S A NEAT, NEAT CHARITY THAT AGAIN STARTS READING RIGHT AT THE AT THE HOME LEVEL.
AND MR. NEWCOMB, JUST REAL QUICK.
WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, INCLUDING THOSE THAT DR. SAELENS'S MENTIONED.
AND [INAUDIBLE] COMPANY THEY ONCE THEY FIND OUT ABOUT THIS, IT'S AN EASY UPDATE THE LETTER, CHANGES WORDING A LITTLE BIT AND SEND IT OUT AND THE CHECKS COME IN.
AND SO WE'RE BLESSED THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT IS, I THINK, HAS TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT THEY ENJOY WORKING WITH US, ENJOY OUR BUSINESS AND REPEAT BUSINESS.
BUT A GOOD PORTION OF IT ALSO IS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN THE CAUSE AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S AN UNMET NEED, THAT THIS FILLS HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY THAT.
[INAUDIBLE] MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK BECAUSE WE DO HAVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO JUST KIND OF GO BACK TO OUR AUGUST TIMELINE AND RECAP A LITTLE BIT JUST FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING.
ACTUALLY, REALLY AT THE PEAK OF THE SPRING LAST YEAR AND CAPTURING IT THROUGH OUR SUMMER.
WE [INAUDIBLE] ANY STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP A RECOVERY PLAN.
THAT RECOVERY PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD, APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN AUGUST.
AND THERE WAS MANY HOURS THAT WENT INTO THAT MANY, MANY STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE REPRESENTED, WE HAD THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE TWO TEACHERS, ONE OF THOSE BEING THE PRESIDENT OF OUR ASSOCIATION AND OUR CURRENT TEACHER OF THE YEAR AT THAT POINT.
AND WE HAD EVERY PART IN IT, YOU KNOW, FROM MANY PEOPLE FROM MILTON'S [INAUDIBLE]
[01:30:07]
SHOP INCLUDING SERVICE, FACILITIES AND INCLUDING ALL A LOT OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL [INAUDIBLE] TO ADMINISTRATORS, PRINCIPALS SUCH.SO THE COMMITTEE WAS QUITE, QUITE LARGE AND WE MET ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO PARSE THROUGH WHAT WOULD THIS [INAUDIBLE].
OUR PLAN WAS AGAIN UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS TIME.
I KNOW OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE FORESIGHT, AS WE HAVE MANY BOARD MEMBERS SIT ON THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL, IS THAT WE CREATED PHASES WITHIN THIS PLAN.
SO ONCE THE PLAN WAS APPROVED, REALLY THE INFORMATION WAS THERE.
SO IT'S BEEN AND I WON'T USE THE WORD EASY BECAUSE IT TAKES SO MUCH PLANNING, ARTICULATION AND TIME TO MOVE BETWEEN THE PHASES.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT IT WAS SO CLEARLY ARTICULATED THAT IT WAS A ROAD MAP FOR US TO CLEARLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO, THEREFORE, ALL BOARD MEMBERS THAT MAY NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE EBBED AND FLOWED BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PHASES AS IT RELATES TO THE NEED AT THE TIME.
AND THAT HAS INCLUDED METRICS, THAT HAS INCLUDED YOU KNOW JUST MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES SO THAT THE DECISIONS, INFORMED DECISIONS CAN BE MADE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE IN THE PHASES OR WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PHASES.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, I WORKED WITH THE TEAM TO DO A FORMAL UPDATE FOR THE BOARD.
AS WE WERE MOVING THROUGH THE PHASES.
AGAIN, IN OCTOBER, WE HAD A FORMAL REPORT AND THEN AGAIN IN NOVEMBER, THERE WAS A FORMAL REPORT.
AND ALL THAT INFORMATION IS CAPTURED ON OUR WEBSITE, VERY EASILY OBTAINABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
AND I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO JUST TAKE SOME TIME TO GO BACK AND KIND OF READ THROUGH THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE DIFFERENT MONTHS.
WE DID NOT DO AN UPDATE DECEMBER AND WE DID NOT DO ONE IN JANUARY, AND NOW HERE WE SIT ON FEBRUARY 2ND AND WE'RE READY TO DO YET ANOTHER UPDATE.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
WE TOOK THE EXACT SAME DOCUMENT AND WHAT WE DID IS WE PARSED THROUGH THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS.
SO EACH DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT HAD A PART OF A PIECE OF PIE.
BASICALLY, IT TAKES A WHOLE TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER EVERYTHING.
AND SO EACH ONE OF THEM WILL TAKE TIME TO UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AS IT RELATES TO THEIR PART OF THE STRATEGIC, THEIR PART OF THE RECOVERY PLAN.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO DIVE RIGHT IN TO THE UPDATE FOR TONIGHT UNLESS I ACTUALLY COULD PAUSE IN CASE WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO, AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, WE DON'T NEED TO [INAUDIBLE].
I THINK THAT'S SELF-EXPLANATORY, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS TWENTY TWENTY TO TWENTY TWENTY FIVE, A VERY WORTHWHILE, GREAT PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH.
AND WE BASED OUR ENTIRE RECOVERY PLAN, OBVIOUSLY, ON THOSE GOALS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLANS, BUT IT ALL FIT NICELY TOGETHER.
AND SO YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THROUGHOUT THE PLAN WE HAVE ADDRESSED ALL THE AREAS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, WELLNESS, EQUITY AND COMMUNICATION.
AND THEN THE NEXT PAGE IN THE PLAN WAS MORE OF A SUMMARY OF WHERE WE WERE IN THE DIFFERENT PHASES [INAUDIBLE] AND WHAT POPULATION FELL WITHIN THOSE DIFFERENT PHASES.
NOW, AS YOU KNOW THAT I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT, WELL, YOU HAD SOME STUDENTS IN, BUT YOU'RE STILL IN PHASE A, AND THAT'S CORRECT, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY LIKE WE WOULD CONSIDER KIND OF A TWO PERCENT RULE SO LESS THAN TWO PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION'S IN.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY ONE GIVEN POPULATION, NOT ALL SPECIAL ED OR NOT ALL EL OR NOT ALL.
SO IT'S MORE OF LIKE A VERY SMALL POCKET OF STUDENTS WHO COULD NOT ACCESS THEIR LEARNING FROM A TECHNOLOGY DEVICE OF ANY SORT.
SO THAT SMALL POPULATION KIND OF IS HOW SO WHO COULD [INAUDIBLE] A PHASE ONE IN A PHASE ONE B OR A OR B? WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE COULD WE GO BACK AND CHANGE NOW? WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE REALLY BEEN HAVE WE'VE HAD THAT SAME GROUP OF STUDENTS IN SINCE THE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER.
SO NOT TO CONFUSE AND TO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF HOW WE COMMUNICATE THINGS.
IF WE WERE TO SAY SPECIAL POPULATIONS ARE IN, THAT'S SO BROAD THAT WE WOULD CONFUSE SOME PARENTS WHO SAY, WELL, MY CHILD ED HAS AN IEP, WHY AREN'T THEY IN? WELL, THEIR CHILD CAN ACCESS THEIR LEARNING FROM AN ONLINE DEVICE OF SOME SORT.
[01:35:04]
SO I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT PIECE OF THINGS.AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR YOU TONIGHT THAT WHILE WE MOVE AND EBB AND FLOW THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PHASES, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WELL, BEFORE THANKSGIVING, WE CLOSED DOWN BECAUSE THE METRICS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE FIVE AND 15 AND YES, SIX MONTHS AGO AS THE SUPERINTENDENT.
WE PUSHED AND PUSHED AND PUSHED EVEN IN THE SPRING THROUGH THE SUMMER AND VERY LATE GOT METRICS FROM THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
AND THOSE WERE A POSITIVITY RATE OF FIVE PERCENT, COUPLED WITH PER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND OF FIFTEEN FOR ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND.
AND COUPLED WITH SEVERAL QUESTIONS, WHICH IN OUR FORMER UPDATES I ARTICULATED TO THE BOARD DURING THAT TIME.
SO LOTS OF DIFFERENT INFORMATION THAT WE USED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISION.
NONE OF OUR SCHOOLS WERE EVER CLOSED BECAUSE OF COMMUNITY SPREAD.
AND I NEED THAT TO BE VERY CLEAR, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS.
SO THE STATE AND I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY SAW THAT THE GOVERNOR, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, IN COLLABORATION WITH DR.
CHAN, WHO IS THE NEW DIRECTOR FOR THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE THREE OF THEM DID A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR MANY MONTHS AND WE FIGURED OUT A LOT OF THINGS.
WE LOOKED TO OTHER STATES TO SEE WHO HAVE BEEN OPEN THE ENTIRE TIME SINCE AUGUST.
WE LOOKED TO SEE THEIR POSITIVITY RATES WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.
THEY'VE ALSO USED OTHER METRICS AND DATA THAT LOOKS AT HAS THERE BEEN SCHOOL SPREAD? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO.
AND NOW WE'VE STARTED BACK UP AND WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY SCHOOL SPREAD.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR POSITIVITY RATE AND WE'RE VERY TRANSPARENT, YOU CAN SEE THAT DATA EVERY WEEK.
IT'S UPDATED ON FRIDAY, OUR POSITIVITY RATE THAT INCLUDES STUDENTS AND STAFF.
WE HAD ONE WEEK WHERE WE WERE AT ONE POINT ZERO NINE POSITIVITY RATE.
AND EVERY OTHER WEEK THAT WE'VE BEEN OPEN SINCE THE START OF SCHOOL IN AUGUST, WE HAVE BEEN LESS THAN ONE PERCENT POSITIVITY ON THE STAFF.
AND THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR.
SO, YES, WHILE WE DID CLOSE BEFORE THANKSGIVING UNDER THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN COMBINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
THIS IS A PANDEMIC AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY GATHERING MORE INFORMATION AND MORE DATA.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK PUTS US IN A GOOD POSITION AND MR. NEWCOMB YOU ALLUDED TO THIS EARLIER IN A CONVERSATION THAT WE SWIFTLY WORKED WITH OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE OPENED UP TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET VACCINATED.
AND THEY TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND ANYONE WHO WANTED THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE HAVE JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY WHO HAS NOW HAD THEIR SECOND DOSE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND WE HAVE ALMOST 70 PERCENT OF OUR STAFF AS FULLY VACCINATED AT THIS POINT.
SO WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH NEW DATA POINTS THAT WE HEARD FROM OTHER STATES WHO HAVE BEEN OPEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR OWN POSITIVITY, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD SPREAD IN SCHOOL.
AND YOU PUT ALL THOSE COMBINATIONS TOGETHER.
IT WAS TIME TO REALLY AND A HUGE PUSH FROM THE GOVERNOR WHO SAYS YOU NEED TO OPEN BY MARCH 1ST.
THAT WAS REALLY ALL WE NEEDED.
WE WERE READY TO OPEN, WE HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY OPEN.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY.
I KNOW I'VE HAD QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY, I'VE HAD QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS AND FROM STAFF.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I ARTICULATED THAT OUT.
IF YOU IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, YOU'LL SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT THIS PLAN ACTUALLY FOCUSES ON.
AND IT'S EVERYTHING FROM FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TIME RIGHT NOW TO UPDATE YOU IN EACH ONE OF THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START INSTRUCTION TONIGHT.
FOR THE INSTRUCTION UPDATE, THERE IS A I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS ON THIS PAGE, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION TO SHARE TONIGHT.
BUT I WANTED TO START BY TALKING ABOUT SOME RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR TEACHERS AS WELL AS OUR STUDENTS.
WE PUT TOGETHER A HYBRID INSTRUCTION WEBSITE THAT HAS BEEN CREATED AND RELEASED TO OUR STAFF.
IT IS LINKED IN NUMEROUS DIFFERENT WEBSITES THAT TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE ACCESS TO WITH SEVERAL RESOURCES AS TO HOW TO TRULY IMPLEMENT THE IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL BE EXPERIENCING.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY KNOWING THAT OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING TO
[01:40:02]
US, WHO HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR SO LONG, WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THEIR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING.WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE TWO E-BOOK COLLECTIONS.
EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS HAS GALE DATABASES AND WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE A CAMP WELLNESS AND CAMERON COLLECTION.
BOTH OF THESE COLLECTIONS OF E-BOOKS HAVE A RANGE OF TOPICS THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH STUDENTS, THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, TEACHERS, GUIDE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS TEACHERS IN LESSONS CAN USE THEM BECAUSE THEY ALL STUDENTS WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT RANGE OF TOPICS FROM SOME KIND OF PRE COVID TOPICS ADHD, ADD, HOMELESSNESS, STRESS AND OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE MORE PRESSING ISSUES WITH A PANDEMIC RIGHT NOW.
I ALSO HAVE HIGHLIGHTED SOME THINGS, PER CONTENT AREAS.
SO FOR PE AND SCIENCE WE WORKED ON WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMING IN, CREATING AND SHARING PROTOCOLS FOR THE CLEANING AND SANITIZATION OF THINGS LIKE THE STRENGTH ROOM AND THE GYM WE PUT INTO PLACE AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT SUPPORT PLAN THAT TEACHERS ARE WORKING WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS WHEN IT RELATES TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN THE AREAS OF SCIENCE AND PE SO THAT THERE IS A SUPPORT PLAN THAT THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS ARE AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF THOSE STRUGGLING LEARNERS.
AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL MATERIALS BEING PURCHASED SO THAT WE CAN SAFELY DO IN-PERSON LAB EXPERIENCES FOR SCIENCE.
FOR READING AND ELA, IT IS ALL BROKEN DOWN HERE BY GRADE LEVEL, BUT THE OVERARCHING IS THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ASSESS OUR STUDENTS BOTH VIRTUALLY AND AS THEY RETURN IN PERSON TO TRULY SEE WHERE THOSE LEARNING GAPS ARE AND TO ADJUST OUR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION TO TRULY MEET THEIR NEEDS.
I LIKED GRADE ONE HAS WHAT THEY'RE CALLING OPERATION TEACH KIDS TO READ.
WE KNOW THAT GRADE ONE IS REALLY ONE OF THOSE YEARS WHERE STUDENTS BEGIN TO REALLY INDEPENDENTLY READ, ALTHOUGH IT HAPPENS IN KINDERGARTEN AND CONTINUES.
WE CONTINUE TO TEACH TO READ IN HIGHER GRADES.
BUT FIRST GRADE IS SUCH A BIG YEAR THERE.
AND OUR GOAL IS OBVIOUSLY, REGARDLESS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY MODEL OF VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON, WE, OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO TEACH KIDS TO READ.
AS WE MOVE INTO HIGHER GRADES.
AGAIN, THE INSTRUCTION IS CONTINUING IN THIRD THROUGH FIFTH, WRITING UNITS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FOCUS IN QUARTER THREE.
AND I, THIS SOUNDS SO SMALL, BUT WE SO LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING STUDENTS TO USE PENCIL AND PAPER IN PERSON AS OPPOSED TO TYPING EVERYTHING.
SO WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE IN PERSON WITH PENCIL AND PAPER.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET YOUR THOUGHTS DOWN EASIER IN THAT AS OPPOSED TO TYPING, AND THEN EVERYBODY HAS THEIR WAYS THAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM.
WE HAVE CONTINUED WITH OUR MID-YEAR ASSESSMENTS WITH I-READY AND ARE ANALYZING THAT DATA.
IN THE SIXTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE FOR ELA YOU KNOW, WE NEVER KNEW WHEN WE WHEN YOU ALL APPROVED TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS.
AND THIS IS STILL I BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD ASKED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS ABOUT DIGITAL RESOURCES AS A COMPONENT TO TEXTBOOKS.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS FOR EVERY TEXTBOOK ADOPTION.
AND WE NEVER KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THOSE RESOURCES WERE GOING TO BE.
SO OUR MY PERSPECTIVES ENGLISH TEXTBOOK HAS PLENTY OF DIGITAL RESOURCES AND TOOLS THAT WE HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE DURING THIS TIME.
THROUGH MATH, WE ARE CONTINUING THE I-READY MID YEAR DIAGNOSTICS AS WELL AND ANALYZING THAT DATA TO MAKE THE CURRICULAR AND INTERVENTION DECISIONS.
WE REALLY DUG DEEP INTO OUR DATA ON OUR FIRST TIME ALGEBRA, ALGEBRA ONE STUDENTS AND ASSESSED STUDENTS THAT WERE STRUGGLING WITH ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC IN ORDER TO ASSESS THEIR LEARNING GAPS AND PLACE THEM APPROPRIATELY
[01:45:03]
IN INTERVENTIONS FOR SEMESTER TWO PRIOR TO NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.WE KNEW THAT ADDITIONAL TRAINING WAS NEEDED FOR SOME OF OUR NEW TEACHERS AS IT RELATED TO OUR DATA WAREHOUSES AND PROCESSES AND STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH STRUGGLING LEARNERS.
SO WE HAD NEW TEACHERS TRAINED ON THOSE TWO TOPICS.
THE NEXT INSTRUCTIONAL UPDATE IS UNFORTUNATELY, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME WAIVERS FOR STATE ASSESSMENTS, STUDENTS ARE STILL NEEDING TO QUOTE UNQUOTE PARTICIPATE IN THOSE ASSESSMENTS.
SO AS OF NOW MCAP TESTING AS WELL AS OTHER TESTS ARE STILL GOING TO BE ADMINISTERED THIS SPRING.
SO WE HAVE HAD TESTING TRAINING FOR SCHOOL TEST COORDINATORS, AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS.
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION THAT HAS NOT SLOWED DOWN EITHER.
AND THEY I KNOW I'VE SHARED WITH YOU PRIOR THAT THEY HAVE TECHNICAL SKILLS ASSESSMENTS.
WHERE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO EARN CERTIFICATIONS AND POTENTIALLY SOME COLLEGE CREDITS, WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THOSE STUDENTS IN PERSON OR GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY VIRTUALLY IF THEIR ASSESSMENT ALLOWED FOR THAT.
TO TAKE THEIR INDUSTRY ASSESSMENTS ALREADY FOR SEMESTER ONE.
AND AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER, CTE STUDENTS TOOK SURVEYS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THEIR TEACHERS ON HOW THEIR VIRTUAL AND HYBRID EXPERIENCE WAS FOR SEMESTER ONE SO THAT THOSE TEACHERS CAN ADJUST THAT FOR SEMESTER TWO.
LOOKING AT THE ATTENDANCE RATES WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING UPDATES REGARDING STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND LITERALLY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR THROUGH JANUARY TWENTY SECOND, WHICH BY THE TIME THE REPORT WAS DUE, THIS WAS OUR CLOSEST TO A FULL CAPSULATED ATTENDANCE PERIOD.
OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ACROSS THE BOARD WAS AT A NINETY POINT FOUR PERCENT.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO PREVIOUS YEARS? PREVIOUS YEAR ELEMENTARIES ARE TYPICALLY RUNNING ABOUT 94 PERCENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO IT'S A FOUR PERCENT DECREASE IN ATTENDANCE OVERALL.
OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE RUNNING AT NINETY POINT SIX FIVE PERCENT.
OUR HIGHEST RATE OF ATTENDANCE IS AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS, TYPICALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, RUNNING ABOUT NINETY THREE.
SO NOT TOO FAR OFF FROM THEIR AVERAGE.
OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE RUNNING AT NINETY ONE POINT EIGHT FOUR, THIS TIME OF YEAR HIGH SCHOOL PARTICULARLY RUN AROUND AT NINETY TWO, NINETY TWO AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO NOT TOO FAR OFF OF OUR AVERAGE THERE.
WE'RE STILL NOTICING THE SAME PATTERNS OF ATTENDANCE IN TERMS OF ASYNCHRONOUS OR SYNCHRONIZES DAYS.
ATTENDANCE MUCH HIGHER ON A SYNCHRONOUS DAY.
DIP IN ATTENDANCE ON ASYNCHRONOUS DAYS, COULD RANGE ANYWHERE FROM FIVE PERCENT TO 10 PERCENT DIP THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING.
AND WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS TO HELP ADDRESS THAT.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT STUDENTS BEING IN.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT IN THE ATTENDANCE STANDPOINT, A LITTLE BIT MORE INCENTIVE TO COME IN THE BUILDING, GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, AS YOU'LL HEAR LATER IN THE UPDATE.
WE'RE ALSO OPENING UP MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO GET INVOLVED IN THEIR SCHOOL, [INAUDIBLE] THERE AS WELL, WITH SOME THINGS COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
AND AGAIN, IT JUST GIVES KIDS MORE REASON TO BE IN THE BUILDING AND BE PRESENT.
I THINK THAT HELPS WITH THAT ATTENDANCE PIECE AND KEEP MOVING IT UPWARDS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEFT HAND SIDE THAT COLUMN, WHAT WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] HERE IS ALL THE STUDENTS WHERE WE HAVE HAD INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH TEACHERS AND FAMILIES AND BROUGHT THOSE STUDENTS BACK FOUR DAYS.
AS YOU KNOW, PRE-K TO THREE IS ALREADY COMING BACK FOUR DAYS.
SO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE RETURNING FOR FOUR DAYS.
BUT AS YOU GET INTO THE UPPER GRADES, WE HAVE AN A B SCHEDULE.
SO BY LOOKING AT DATA, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR TEACHERS FIRST, BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS ARE WITH THESE CHILDREN ALL THE TIME, THEY HAVE DRIVEN THE CONVERSATION AND BROUGHT THE PARENT IN AND WE HAVE DECIDED TO BRING THOSE EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS BACK.
AND IT SHOULD BE AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION, NOT A GROUP DECISION.
IT'S BASED ON THE NEEDS OF EACH OF THOSE CHILDREN.
SO YOU CAN SEE, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE
[01:50:04]
CHILDREN THAT ARE GOING TO BE RECEIVING FOUR DAYS OF INSTRUCTION, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED.I TRULY BELIEVE THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME FAMILIES THAT ARE STILL A LITTLE SKEPTICAL AND WANT TO STICK WITH VIRTUAL AND THEN WE HAVE SOME CHILDREN THAT ARE DOING VERY, VERY WELL WITH TWO DAYS OF INSTRUCTION OR EXCUSE ME NOT TWO DAYS OF INSTRUCTION, BUT VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION.
SOME OF THE THINGS I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION IS WE HAVE NOT MISSED A BEAT ON ANY OF OUR GOALS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION THIS YEAR.
AND ONE IS THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE OFFER OUR STAFF, THE [INAUDIBLE] PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I'VE SHARED MULTIPLE TIMES.
IT'S A MULTISENSORY APPROACH, AND IT IS FOR CHILDREN THAT REALLY STRUGGLE WITH LEARNING HOW TO READ.
WE'VE TRIED MANY METHODS, BUT THIS IS THIS IS MORE LIKE THE PRESCRIPTION.
THIS IS A PROGRAM IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
IT IS USED IN SEVERAL NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
SO IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT WE CAN BRING THAT TO CAROLINE COUNTY.
RIGHT NOW, OUR TEACHERS HAVE COMPLETED TWENTY EIGHT HOURS OF SIXTY HOURS OF TRAINING.
THIS PROGRAM IS SO IT HAS SO MANY PARAMETERS AND SO TIGHT ABOUT RECEIVING YOUR CERTIFICATE AT THE END THAT YOU CANNOT MISS A SESSION OR YOU HAVE TO JOIN ANOTHER COHORT IN ANOTHER STATE.
SO LET ME TELL YOU, OUR FOLKS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR EVERY SINGLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE CONTINUED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH [INAUDIBLE], COWRITER, SNAP AND READ.
WHAT ARE THOSE? OK, [INAUDIBLE], I'M GOING TO BACK UP ONE STEP.
AND THAT IS SOME OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE TEXT READ TO THEM AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A DECISION MAKING PROCESS AS [INAUDIBLE], ALLOWING THE CHILD TO HAVE A HUMAN READER OR HAVE TEXT TO SPEECH FROM THE COMPUTER.
FOR [INAUDIBLE], WE FOUND THIS TOOL THAT ACTUALLY IS A DIGITAL TOOL THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE CHILD READ INDEPENDENTLY.
THEN THEY ARE READ OR THEY ACTUALLY READ WITH SOMEONE AND THEN THEY HAVE TEXT TO SPEECH.
THEN WE CAN MAKE A SOLID DETERMINATION ON WHICH WAY TO GO WITH THAT CHILD AS WE GO THROUGH THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
SO BECAUSE OF HAVING TO DO VIRTUAL, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A TOOL LIKE THIS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
SNAP AND READ IS A IT'S A SCREEN, EXCUSE ME NOT SCREEN READER.
IT IS ACTUALLY A READER FOR STUDENTS A TEXTTO SPEECH.
COWRITER, THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING TOOL.
IT'S ALSO A DIGITAL TOOL THAT ALLOWS CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO TYPE OUT THEIR THOUGHTS AND IT ACTUALLY GIVES THEM IDEAS AS THEY GO BASED ON THE VOCABULARY THAT THEY USE.
SO IT INCREASES THE VOCABULARY TOO.
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE INCREASED OUR PPE.
WE HAD BOUGHT A LOT OF CLEAR MASKS EARLY ON BECAUSE OF OUR SPEECH CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THEY FORM THE WORDS IN THE MOUTH.
WE HAVE JUST MADE A HUGE ORDER BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE], WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME EXACT THING AS THE CHILDREN LEARN THE SOUNDS, THE LETTERS.
SO WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE CLEAR MASKS IN THE SCHOOLS.
THEN WE PURCHASED THROUGH PEARSON FORMAL DIGITAL ASSESSMENTS.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR CHILDREN HAVE TO BE FORMALLY ASSESSED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
SO THROUGH PEARSON, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND COGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS, SPEECH AND LANGUAGE ASSESSMENTS AND EDUCATIONALS.
SO NEW WORLD, NEW ROLE FOR OUR PEOPLE.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR MIDYEAR PROCESS, MONITORING, USING THE I-EXCEL PLATFORM, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO I-READY.
IT'S AN INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL WHERE STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRACTICE READING AND MATH.
AND IT DOES A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEN IT DOES A MID YEAR BENCHMARK.
SO WE KNOW WHERE THE CHILDREN ARE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE.
ALSO, THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I LEFT OFF THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING WITH OUR STAFF, AND IT'S PROBABLY BEEN FOR JUST ABOUT A MONTH, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY AN ONLINE APP THAT WE IT'S CALLED MOTE, M O T E IF ANYONE HAS EVER HEARD OF THIS.
BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT ENABLES YOU TO PUT VOICE INTO YOUR DOCUMENTS THAT YOU SEND OUT TO PEOPLE.
SO WHEN WE SEND OUT ALL KINDS OF MEMOS, REMINDERS, WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PUT A BUBBLE IN THEIR MOUTH, THAT WE CAN EXPLAIN THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WE'RE FINDING ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO DO TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
THEN WE GO DOWN TO OUR PRE-K THREE PROGRAMS, OUR LITTLE GUYS.
[01:55:01]
AND THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN BACK SINCE JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH AND DOING VERY WELL.NUMBERS HAVE STAYED VERY CONSISTENT AT PRESTON AND RIDGELY LOCATION AND THEN WE MOVE INTO THE PRE-K FOUR PROGRAMS. AND THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ABOUT PRE-K FOUR IS THAT IF YOU ARE ABLE TO GO INTO THE BUILDINGS AND YOU ARE ABLE TO WALK THROUGH A FOUR PRE-K CLASSROOM, IT'S GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE PLEXIGLASS THAT ARE CROSSED SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE FOUR KIDS AT A TABLE WHERE THERE'S STILL SOME TYPE OF INTERACTION BECAUSE PRE-K IS ABOUT BEING SOCIAL AND WE KNOW THAT.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES OF CDC, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LITTLE GUYS STILL HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE IN SOME TYPE OF SOCIAL SETTING WITH THEIR PEERS.
AND ALSO SOME THINGS THAT WE DID TO ENHANCE THE NOT TO ENHANCE, BUT TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES WERE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE THEIR OWN MATERIALS.
AS WE ALL REMEMBER, SOMEBODY PASSES OUT THE SCISSORS, SOMEBODY PASSES OUT THE RULERS, CRAYONS SUCH AND SUCH.
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN PERSONAL BACKPACK NOW, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
AND HONESTLY, I THINK SOME OF THESE THINGS WILL CONTINUE.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY VALUABLE IN THE CLASSROOM.
THEN WE GET INTO OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS AND YOU CAN SEE WE DID THE SAME THING HERE WHERE WE HAD IN THE UPPER GRADES, WE HAD CHILDREN THAT WERE COMING IN TWO DAYS AND WORKING WITH EL TEACHERS AND WORKING WITH THE FAMILIES.
WE HAVE SOME OF THEM COMING IN FOR FOUR DAYS ALSO.
AND IT'S ALL BASED ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
CRYSTAL HAS DONE A BANG UP JOB.
CRYSTAL [INAUDIBLE] WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WITH OUR EL TEACHERS.
SHE'S WORKING ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I'M HOPING TO SHARE WITH YOU IN EARLY SPRING THAT SHE'S PLANNING ON ROLLING OUT NEXT YEAR FOR EL TEACHERS TO ENHANCE THE INSTRUCTION FOR OUR EL STUDENTS.
AND THEN ALSO YOU CAN SEE THAT SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS.
THIS IS THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR FOR INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS.
PROVIDING THEM WITH A DEVICE WAS MONUMENTAL BECAUSE IT ENABLED THEM TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING THEIR JOB.
AND THEY ALSO LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL WHEN THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS TOO.
VERY EXCITING AND THEN ALSO THE ENHANCED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS TWO YEARS, MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO.
WE STOOD HERE AND WE ROLLED OUT THE GIFTED AND TALENTED POLICY.
AND WE ARE FOLLOWING THE GIFTED AND TALENTED POLICY WE'RE DOING, EVEN THOUGH WE [INAUDIBLE] VIRTUAL AND NOW WE ARE BACK IN SCHOOL, WE STILL HAVE OUR NUMBERS EXACTLY WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
WE CONTINUE USING THE WILLIAM AND MARY PROGRAM.
YOU CAN SEE THERE WE HAD PURCHASED SOME NEW ASSESSMENT TOOLS.
[INAUDIBLE] SPECIAL PROGRAMS. WE GO UP IN THE GRADES, WE INDIVIDUALIZE THE GIFTED AND TALENTED INSTRUCTION.
WHEN YOU GET INTO SIXTH GRADE, IF A CHILD IS IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND TALENTED AT THAT POINT, THE TEACHER CREATES SOMETHING THAT'S MORE INDIVIDUALIZED FOR THAT STUDENT.
THE THIRD AND FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE WERE WHAT WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO BY NUMBERS.
[INAUDIBLE] YEAH, IF YOU HAVE BEEN MET, THE CRITERIA TO BE LABELED THE GIFTED AND TALENTED, WILL YOU STAY THAT WAY ALL THE WAY THROUGH? WELL, HOW DO YOU GET UP TO THAT? FOR EXAMPLE, IF I DON'T MAKE IT IN FIFTH GRADE BUT I QUALIFY IN-- DO I ASK TO BE TESTED FOR GT? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS IN LATE SECOND GRADE, THAT'S WHEN THERE'S MULTIPLE CHILDREN, LOTS OF CHILDREN THAT WOULD BE IDENTIFIED.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE GRADES, THEIR TEACHERS AND OBVIOUSLY PARENTS WOULD MAKE REFERRALS TOO SAYING, YOU KNOW, I HAVE INFORMATION THAT INCLUDES MY CHILD COULD BE GIFTED AND TALENTED, WHAT IS THE PROCESS THAT I NEED TO GO THROUGH? AND THEN THEY GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF BEING ASSESSED WITH A PSYCHOLOGIST.
[02:00:03]
SO HOW DO YOU QUALIFY WHAT THE QUALIFICATIONS WERE? THERE IS ONE OF THE TEST SCORES, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE GAMUT OF CRITERIA THAT GO WITH THAT.AND WHEN I HAVE, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO [INAUDIBLE] ON THAT ONE.
YOU CAN ASK ME ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND I WE HAVE SOME UPDATES COMING UP, YOUR [INAUDIBLE].
CERTAINLY LAYOUT AND ARTICULATE DIFFERENT WAYS TO QUALIFY AND DIFFERENT RESULTS.
FOR WHAT IS WITHIN THE RUBRIC TYPE SCALE, IT GOES ALONG WITH SCORES, IT GOES ALONG PARENT INPUT, TEACHER INPUT.
I JUST I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
WHAT ABOUT AND YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THE [INAUDIBLE].
WHAT ABOUT LIKE A STUDENT WHO WAS GIFTED AND TALENTED IN A CERTAIN AREA AND NOT ANOTHER.
LIKE, LET'S SAY FOR ME, OK, I'D LIKE TO THINK I WAS GIFTED AND TALENTED IN ENGLISH.
OK, SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH STUDENTS LIKE THAT THAT ARE GIFTED AND TALENTED IN CERTAIN AREAS? AND NOW I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO WHAT DR. [INAUDIBLE] MORE INDIVIDUALIZED AND DIFFERENTIATED, DEPENDING ON THE INDIVIDUAL.
AS YOU GET INTO THE UPPER GRADES.
BUT IN THE LOWER GRADES, IT'S ALL OR NOTHING? NO.
NO, THAT'S A THREE PRONGED APPROACH THAT NONE OF US WANT TO SPEAK OUT OF TURN BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] THIS AREA POLICY AND SO FORTH AND CERTAINLY IS THE ADVOCATE FOR HIS STUDENTS.
BUT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO AT ANOTHER TIME GO ON TO IT WASN'T TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR OR TWO.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM.
AND BUT THEN THE STATE REQUIRED THAT WE DO SOMETHING WITH NUMBERS AND THEN WE GOT TO TRACK IT AND, YOU KNOW.
YEAH, BUT YEAH, GOOD QUESTIONS.
EVERY TIME YOU GIVE YOUR REPORT, I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN IN THAT CLASSROOM AND I'M NOT A SPECIAL ED PERSON.
ONE THING I DO QUESTION UP ON THAT FIRST PAGE, YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE OF THE FIVE SEVENTY NINE, WHICH IS FIFTY NINE PERCENT.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE ANY OF THEM ANY MORE WILL COME INTO SCHOOL BEFORE THE END OF SCHOOL WHERE THEY'RE BASICALLY SAID, I'M STAYING OUT THE YEAR I'M NOT--? WELL YOU HAVE THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE THAT ARE ATTENDING FOUR DAYS.
NOW THERE ARE OTHER CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE STILL DOING THE A DAY B DAY BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING FINE RIGHT NOW WITH THAT.
BUT WE ARE STAYING CLOSE WITH OUR CASE MANAGERS OF THESE CHILDREN.
AND WHEN I SAY WE I'M TALKING ABOUT MY TEAM UP HERE TRACKING EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED, BECAUSE IF THE TEACHER WE HAVE A WHOLE SPREADSHEET WITH ALL OF OUR CHILDREN THAT THE TEACHER RECOMMENDS, THAT THEY FEEL THAT THIS CHILD BASED ON DATA, BASED ON PERFORMANCE, BASED ON ONE PARENT HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CLIENT, WE IMMEDIATELY WERE BRINGING THEM BACK FOR FOUR DAYS.
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY SOME PARENTS WHO ARE VERY GOOD AT HELPING THEIR KIDS WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING AND THERE'S OTHERS THAT JUST DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS.
AND I WONDER IF THOSE KIDS WOULD COME BACK INTO A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT.
ANOTHER THING I WAS GOING TO POINT OUT TOO.
YOU KNOW, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE DIDN'T ASK FOR COVID, BUT NONE OF US WANTED IT.
WE HOPE IT DOESN'T RETURN AGAIN.
BUT IT HAS ALLOWED US TO PICK UP SOFTWARE AND THINGS ONLINE THAT WE NEVER KNEW EXISTED AND HAVE BEEN SUCH A TOOL FOR THE STUDENTS.
SO IF THERE'S ANY GOOD THAT'S COME OUT OF IT, CERTAINLY LATELY, THAT'S A PIECE OF IT.
SO I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS HERE AT THE TOP AND WE HEARD DR. SIMMONS TALKING ABOUT OVERALL ATTENDANCE AND AGAIN, I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS.
I APOLOGIZE IF YOU SAID I DID, BUT WHAT'S THE ATTENDANCE LOOKING LIKE FOR THE SPECIAL ED STUDENTS? OUR ATTENDANCE IS PRETTY PARALLEL, RUNNING PARALLEL WITH GEN ED.
WE'RE NOT SEEING ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT.
NOW, IF OK, AND I WILL SAY THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR ALL OF OUR SPECIAL ED TEACHERS, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE INTENSIVE SUPPORT TEACHERS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE SEPTEMBER 8TH AND THEY WERE THE ONES BACK IN SPRING THAT REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID WHEN ARE OUR CHILDREN COMING BACK?
[02:05:03]
THESE ARE CHILDREN WITH THE MOST INTENSITY, WITH MEDICALLY FRAGILE, MULTIPLE RELATED SERVICES.AND THEY WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH US TO GET THOSE KIDS BACK.
AND THOSE WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT POPULATION WOULD HAVE BEEN MY FEAR WITH ATTENDANCE MORE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BIGGEST, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOL SO MUCH.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO AFFECTED BY, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE COVID CHANGES IN THE DYNAMICS AND THE FLUID AND THE CONSTANT CHANGE.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE? WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THAT ENTIRE PART OF THE WORK? IT'S GOT TO BE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER STUDENTS, I WOULD THINK, TO SOME DEGREE.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE INITIALLY WAS THIS FEAR OF CHILDREN WITH SUCH SIGNIFICANT NEEDS [INAUDIBLE] THAT WAS WITH SUCH SIGNIFICANT NEEDS TO WEAR A MASK.
AND HONESTLY, I WALK IN I MEAN, I'VE BEEN IN THESE ROOMS AND THEY HAVE THE MASK OFF.
DO WE HAVE A FEW THAT HAVE TYPICALLY STUDENTS WITH AUTISM.
OK, IT'S A SENSORY AND WE ALL KNOW THAT.
AND WE'VE GONE THROUGH AN FBA PROCESS, WHICH IS A FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT, WHERE WE DETERMINE THAT THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DISABLING CONDITION.
AND THEN WE CREATE A PLAN TO GET THEM TO WHERE.
NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO FIGHT THAT FOR A WHILE.
SO YOU HAVE TO ENHANCE YOUR PPE IN THOSE ROOMS. SO WE TURN THOSE TEACHERS ARE WEARING THE N NINETY FIVES.
THEY'RE ALSO WEARING THE SHIELD.
I MEAN, THERE-- AND WE ALSO HAVE THE PLEXIGLAS PARTITIONS.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE CONTINUING VIRTUALLY WHILE WE'RE BRINGING KIDS AND BRING MORE BACK INTO THE BUILDINGS.
BUT WE DO HAVE PLANS TO OPEN THEM UP TO ONE CAMPUS OPPORTUNITY AND ACTIVITIES, AS YOU PROBABLY SAW WITH THE PRESS RELEASE THAT WENT OUT TODAY FROM THE BAYSIDE CONFERENCE WITH ATHLETICS RETURNING.
AND I KNOW ONE THING ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER ON CAMPUS ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
WE CONTINUE WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AROUND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING FOR OUR STAFF.
WE'VE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH FOR ALL SEASONS INCORPORATED IN PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AN ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND TRAUMA, AND THE IMPACT OF THOSE IN THE CLASSROOM THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR STAFF REGARDING PERSONAL WELLBEING, RESILIENCE.
[INAUDIBLE] OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL, PROVIDING THAT FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS DURING OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS AND PROVIDING IN A FORMAT AND VEHICLE IN WHICH [INAUDIBLE] PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS CAN ENGAGE IN THAT LEARNING AND LITERALLY TAKE IT THROUGH THEIR STAFF AND IMPLEMENT THE [INAUDIBLE] SHE HAS ALSO BEEN HELPING SOME OF THE PRINCIPALS WITH THAT IMPLEMENTATION VERY WELL.
CONTINUE TO UTILIZE GOOGLE VOICE WITH OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS PROVING EXTREMELY USEFUL AS WE'RE ENTERING INTO THE SCHEDULING SEASON FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND OUR COUNSELORS ARE MAKING GREAT USE OF GOOGLE VOICE WITH THAT PIECE AND AN COMMUNICATION.
OUR STUDENTS SUPPORT TEAMS CONTINUE TO BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED, AS ARE OUR SCHOOL LEVEL TEAMS THAT LOOK AT WHERE KIDS MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH ACADEMICS, BEHAVIOR OR ATTENDANCE AND WORK TO CREATE INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS TO HELP STUDENTS IMPROVE.
QUICK SHOUT OUT TO MRS. KAREN MILLER, OUR MULTI-TIER SYSTEM OF SUPPORT SPECIALIST.
IT'S A MOUTHFUL, BASICALLY OUR [INAUDIBLE] GURU AND DANIELLE MAY, ONE OF OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST OUR LEAD SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO SCHOOL STAFF OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS REGARDING STUDENTS [INAUDIBLE] STRENGTHEN THOSE PROCESSES HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF THAT.
AND WE CONTINUE AND AS YOU PROBABLY SAW IN THE WINTER MONTHS AND WILL CONTINUE PUSHING OUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR FAMILIES REGARDING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS.
JUST BECAUSE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS OVER, THE HOLIDAY OR THE WINTER SEASON TENDS TO BE ONE THAT'S VERY HARD FOR FOLKS IN GENERAL.
WE NORMALLY PUSH MESSAGING, BUT REALLY TRYING TO INCREASE AS MUCH OF THAT AND TO GET THAT OUT TO FAMILIES AND MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
[02:10:02]
AND WE CONTINUE WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.ALL OF OUR SCHOOL BASED WELLNESS CENTERS ARE OPEN AND OPERATING WITH TOP COMMUNITY HEALTH.
[INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN JUST AN ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING GODSEND OF A PARTNER THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PANDEMIC.
THEY WERE A GREAT PARTNER BEFOREHAND THAT TRULY HELPED US KEEP OUR DOORS OPEN, KEEP OUR STAFF AS SAFE AND HEALTHY AS WE CAN, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WONDERFUL AND ALSO OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.
IT'S CAROLINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR ALL SEASONS.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL GOING TO REVIVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS AT OUR SCHOOLS FOR IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS AS NEED BE.
AND CAROLINE RECREATION AND PARKS GOT THE NEWS TONIGHT.
THEY WILL BE [INAUDIBLE] THEIR BEFORE SCHOOL TIME AND AFTERSCHOOL TIME SERVICES IN GREENSBORO, WHICH THEY PROVIDED PRIOR TO OUR CLOSURE.
AND OF COURSE, WE'LL PROGRAM AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, VERY SMALL FOR THESE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, FOR OUR COMMUNITY USE SPACE TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT THEY'RE REENGAGING THIS MONTH AND THEY WILL BE REENGAGING [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO LATER AND WE'LL GET THAT LAUNCHED AS WELL.
CAROLINE COUNTY RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PROVIDING A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THE VACCINATION CLINICS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTY.
SO THEY HAD SOME STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO PULL THESE COMMUNITY USE COUNSELING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE.
SO INCREDIBLE TO SEE THAT HAPPENING AS WELL.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORTS FOR KIDS THAT CAN'T WAIT [INAUDIBLE] LAYING EYES ON THEM AND SEEING THEM IN PERSON REALLY DOES OPEN DOORS TO HELP FILL SOME NEEDS.
[INAUDIBLE] THE ONLY UPDATE THAT WE HAD FROM JEN, WHICH I THINK THE BOARD IS AWARE OF, WAS JUST THAT THEY CHANGED THE QUARANTINE GUIDELINES.
AND I THINK DR. SAELENS WENT OVER THAT PREVIOUSLY WHEN THAT CAME OUT OF THE PROBABLE CASE, THAT WAS THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WE HAD THIS MONTH TO THE DOCUMENT.
YES, IN THE AREA OF TECHNOLOGY, AS FAR AS AN UPDATE.
CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE VIA PHONE AND EMAIL HAS REMAINED STEADY, MOSTLY WITH MINOR ISSUES THAT CAN BE HANDLED APPROPRIATELY AND ADDRESSED COMPLETELY.
TURN AROUND FOR REPAIRS OF DEVICES STILL REMAINS A ONE TO THREE DAY PERIOD.
BACKUP DEVICES, LOANERS, IF YOU WILL, ARE AVAILABLE AT EVERY SCHOOL SO THAT STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE ON A DEVICE WHILE THEIR DEVICE IS BEING REPAIRED.
SCHOOL LEVEL ADMINISTRATION HAS ACCESS TO DATABASES THAT WE'VE CREATED AS A RESULT OF PIVOTING TO ONE TO ONE PROGRAM SO THEY KNOW WHAT DEVICE NUMBER IS ASSIGNED TO EVERY STUDENT.
THEY THEY KNOW WHICH STUDENTS HAVE THE DIGITS, WHICH ARE THE HOTSPOT, THE MOBILE HOTSPOT DEVICES.
THEY KNOW WHO HAS LEARNED DEVICE AND THEY KNOW WHO, WHAT THE REPAIR COSTS ARE FOR DEVICES THAT HAVE HAD TO BE REPAIRED.
AND WE'VE ALSO TECHNOLOGY'S BEEFED UP THE NUMBER OF CARTS THAT ARE IN SCHOOLS IN ANTICIPATION OF STUDENTS RETURNING AS A MEANS FOR STUDENTS TO CHARGE DEVICES THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
FROM A MAINTENANCE STANDPOINT, THINGS CONTINUE.
THEY HAVEN'T REALLY RAMPED UP AT ALL.
WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF REPAIR COSTS TWENTY ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS CHARGE TO DATE.
WE'RE NOT CHARGING ANYTHING FOR OUR IN-HOUSE LABOR.
FOR NEWER BOARD MEMBERS THAT MAY NOT KNOW WE ARE AN APPLE REPAIR FACILITY.
WE REPAIR EVERY DEVICE AND HOUSE AND BUY THE PARTS.
WE TRY TO LOOK FOR THE CHEAPEST PRICE FOR THE PART WHICH ISN'T NECESSARILY AN APPLE PART.
SO IT'S A LOT OF TIMES AFTERMARKET PARTS FOR DEVICES AND THE FIXED AND AND SO THAT'S THE COST IS PASSED ON TO PARENTS WHEN IT'S DEEMED TO BE A REPAIR COST THAT'S BEEN INCURRED BY THE STUDENT [INAUDIBLE].
IF IT'S A MALFUNCTION OF THE DEVICE THAT'S OUTSIDE THE STUDENT USE OR MISUSE THEN WE EAT THOSE COSTS OR IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION AS TO WE AIR ON THE SIDE OF, I WILL FIX IT AND SEND IT BACK.
SO AS A PERCENTAGE OF DEVICES, WE'RE STILL VERY, VERY SMALL DEVICES, LESS THAN THREE PERCENT OF DEVICES NEED REPAIRS.
[02:15:02]
WE'LL SEE HOW THAT CHANGES AS MORE AND MORE STUDENTS COME BACK TO THE BUILDING AND DEVICES ARE CARRIED TO AND FROM HOME ON A DAILY BASIS.WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY RAMPED UP BANDWIDTH BACK IN THE SUMMER, LATE SUMMER, ANTICIPATING THE INCREASED BANDWIDTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ZOOM.
MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR BANDWIDTH FROM INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT CONTINUES TO SERVICE WELL WITH NO CURRENT OR ANTICIPATED PROBLEMS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR CONTROL.
VERIZON LAST WEEK HAD A LINE CUT SOMEWHERE AND IT SLOWED DOWN INTERNET CONNECTIVITY IN THIS AREA, BUT IT DID THAT FOR EVERYBODY.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, COMCAST OUT OF LINE HAD A FIBER LINE CUT THAT CUT PUT EVERYBODY OUT OF SERVICE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WE'VE WORKED REALLY FOCUSING NOW ON DOING INTERNAL NETWORK SECURITY AUDITS AND IN RECOGNITION THAT THE BAD GUY, BAD FOLKS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO GO AFTER AND DO NICE THINGS TO OTHER PEOPLE'S NETWORK ARE REALLY FOCUSING NOW ON EDUCATION BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH VIRTUAL LEARNING GOING ON.
IT'S SAD, BUT THAT'S THE STATE OF AFFAIRS THAT WE LIVE IN.
SO WE'RE DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS TO ENSURE THAT OUR T'S ARE CROSSED AND I'S ARE DOTTED.
AND DESPITE ALL OF OUR BEST EFFORTS, IT STILL ISN'T GOING TO GUARANTEE ANYTHING INTERNET.
YOU KNOW, HACKS AND COMPROMISES HAPPEN.
THE MOST ROBUST, YOU KNOW, WELL SECURED NETWORKS AND SOME FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES, MANY OF WHICH YOU'VE HEARD OVER THE NEWS IN THE THROUGH THE NEWS OVER THE YEARS.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WENT BACK TO VIRTUAL, WE PIVOTED OUR DRIVERS AND BUS ASSISTANTS TO ASSIST IN THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION MODEL.
THEY'VE BEEN REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND ASSISTED WITH THAT PROCESS, THAT PROGRAM UNDER [INAUDIBLE] COLLABORATE WELL TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET THE FOOD OUT TO STUDENTS.
AND THAT AND THEN LASTLY, WE ANTICIPATE THAT BY AND WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
WE'LL HAVE OVER TWO THOUSAND STUDENTS UTILIZING BUS TRANSPORTATION ON A REDUCED CAPACITY PLAN AND FOR SOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
WE DID HAD TO HAD TO IMPLEMENT A THIRD BUS RUN ELEMENTARY, A SECOND BUS AROUND THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, THIRD BUS FROM OVERALL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE LOWER NUMBERS ON OUR BUSSES TO KEEP KIDS SEPARATED.
AND THEN FINALLY, WITHIN FACILITIES, WE CONTINUE TO PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTE PPE, THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED BY OTHERS TO SCHOOLS.
THANK GOODNESS THAT WE HAVE OUR NEW WAREHOUSE AND THE MEANS FOR WHICH TO BUY THAT IN BULK OR WE'VE NEVER HAD TO BUY IT IN THAT LEVEL OF QUANTITIES BEFORE BECAUSE IT ISN'T ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
AND WE BUY IT AND WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET IT.
WE KNOCK ON WOOD, STAYED IN GOOD SHAPE THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
THE [INAUDIBLE] WHICH ARE THE ELECTROSTATIC SPRAYERS, THE HANDHELD SPRAYING DEVICES THAT ARE USED IN OUR BUILDINGS.
THEY WEAR OUT, THEY BREAK, THEY'RE USED EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
THEY THEN COME IN AND SPRAY A ROOM DOWN IN A MATTER OF A FEW MINUTES, WHICH IN ESSENCE SANITIZES THE ROOM ONCE UNOCCUPIED.
AND THAT'S DONE ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE'VE HAD TO PURCHASE MORE OF THEM.
CUSTODIAL SCHEDULES CONTINUE TO BE ADJUSTED BASED ON STUDENTS COMING BACK INTO THE BUILDING TO ENSURE THAT STAFF ARE THERE TO CLEAN HIGH TOUCH AREAS.
WHEN STUDENTS ARE IN THE CLASSROOM, THEY'RE IN THERE, CLEAN BATHROOMS. AND AT THE END OF EVERY BREAK, THEY'RE DOING THAT CLEANING HIGH TOUCH AREAS.
AND THEN THEREAFTER, FOLKS LEAVE DOWN TO THE DAY DOING THAT, [INAUDIBLE] SPRAYING THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
THOSE ARE THE UPDATES FROM [INAUDIBLE].
NEXT PAGE INTO A LITTLE BIT OF EMPLOYEE SUPPORT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THREE MAIN THINGS [INAUDIBLE] LITTLE BIT OF TIME, I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] OUR MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR.
SHE HAS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WORKING WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS, SUPERVISORS, GROUPS OF TEACHERS, BUILDING STAFF TO PRESENT DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS ALL AROUND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
[02:20:01]
AND SHE PRESENTED BUILDING PROFESSIONAL RESILIENCY TO SOME TEACHERS, REALLY GIVING STRATEGIES, A LOT OF STRATEGIES FOR RESPONDING TO AND HANDLING STRESS DURING A PANDEMIC.SO, AGAIN, A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO [INAUDIBLE].
WE'VE ALSO HAD CHERYL LAWRENCE, OUR TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR AND [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, PRESENT TO GROUPS OF TEACHERS ABOUT OPTIONS FOR THEIR GRADE BOOK.
IT IS INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD AVAILABLE TO THEM.
CERTAIN GROUPS HAVE REACHED OUT AND ASKED FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE ASSISTANCE FROM HER.
SO NOT ONLY DID SHE DO THAT, WE SENT ALL THAT INFORMATION AND MADE IT AVAILABLE TO ALL STAFF [INAUDIBLE].
BUT REALLY, ONE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE YOUR GRADE BOOK SET UP BYU POINTS VERSUS PERCENTAGES? AND A REALLY IN DEPTH CALCULATIONS AROUND GRADES AND GRADE BOOKS.
WE'VE ALSO CONTINUED WITH OUR WEEKLY COLLABORATIVE TEAM MEETINGS WITH CONTENT SUPERVISORS AND TEACHERS.
DURING THOSE ASYNCHRONOUS WEDNESDAYS, OUR STAFF HAS HAD A PLETHORA OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THEY HAVE REALLY DUG DEEP INTO CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES TO HELP THEM WITH THE HYBRID TEACHING.
FOR THIS SPECIFIC UPDATE, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SINCE NOVEMBER 34 NEWS POSTED THEM PUBLISHED ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
THESE ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE WEBSITE TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS AND THEN SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND PICKED UP BY THE NEWS OUTLETS.
IN ADDITION, THE PRINCIPALS HAVE CONTINUED THEIR WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS TO BOTH STAFF AND FAMILIES AND INCREASE THEIR USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
DR. SAELENS HAS PROVIDED RADIO AND NEWSPAPER INTERVIEWS AS REQUESTED BY OUTLETS, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION CHANNEL.
WE CONTINUE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THROUGH MULTIPLE CHANNELS.
AND LASTLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SINCE CREATING THE COVID POSITIVE CASE REPORT DASHBOARD ON THE WEBSITE, WE PROVIDED 17 WEEKS OF REPORTS.
AND I'LL SHARE IN THE SNAPSHOT THAT WE SEE THAT THAT PAGE DOES GET A LOT OF PAGE VIEWS.
IT'S IN OUR TOP 10 OF MOST VIEWED PAGES, WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE IT AND HAPPY TO HAVE IT USED.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT WORK.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR OUR KIDS THAT WILL [INAUDIBLE].
WELL, SO IT LOOKS LIKE SIX GAMES? SIX WEEKS OF GAMES.
THEY CAN ONLY PLAY ONCE A WEEK.
MOST OTHER SPORTS ARE TWO GAMES A WEEK WITH A POSSIBILITY TO HAVE THREE ON
[02:25:01]
TWO OF THOSE LEADS.SO RIGHT NOW, YOU THINK [INAUDIBLE] YEAH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OPTIONS FOR FOOTBALL CONSIDERING THE SIZE DIFFERENTIAL.
[INAUDIBLE] SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT PROBABLY LOOK THROUGH A FOOTBALL SEASON JUST BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] IS ONE OF THE SMALLEST [INAUDIBLE] FOOTBALL.
WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE.
THE INTERESTING THING IS FOOTBALL [INAUDIBLE] DIFFERENT OPTIONS WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
FOR FOOTBALL, [INAUDIBLE] CALCULATIONS THAT GOING TO [INAUDIBLE].
THERE'S GREAT BENEFIT IN THAT FOR SMALL SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN MAXIMIZE THAT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT FOR SMALL SCHOOLS AND ALSO FOR OUR LARGE SCHOOLS.
[INAUDIBLE] THEY NEED A COMPETITIVE SEASON FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO THEY NEED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLAY COMPETITION AT THEIR LEVEL AS WELL WITHOUT HAVING TO PLAY AS MANY [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] IN THE NORTH THAT ARE VERY SMALL.
A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO THE SCHEDULE AND START COMPETITION BY MARCH 5TH.
THEN IT JUST PEOPLE ON GOING, RIGHT? YEAH.
BUT EVERY OTHER SCHOOL HEALTHY ACROSS [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE THAT'S THE HOPE, WE'LL MAKE SCHEDULE WILL BE WHAT WE DO.
WE WILL DO ALL THE THINGS WE CAN BUT THE BIG WHAT IFS OR WHAT'S OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PLAN THE WEATHER.
AND HOW WILL THAT [INAUDIBLE] SO WE'RE PLAYING ALL WORKED OUT IN TERMS OF HOW WE TRY TO, AGAIN, MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR KIDS TO MAKE SURE.
IT LOOKS LIKE EVERY ONE OF THOSE SPORTS WILL HAPPEN.
IT'S ALL COACHES ARE ON BOARD.
AND WE GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT TO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS.
THEY REALLY PUT IT TOGETHER IN JANUARY HELPING THE KIDS.
THEY REALLY DID GET TO MEET THE ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS.
THEY REALLY PULLED TOGETHER, KIDS WORKED HARD.
PRINCIPALS RALLIED, THE TEACHERS RALLIED, THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS RALLIED.
WE DID SEE GREAT IMPROVEMENT KIDS HERE TOWARDS THE END.
SO WE GET ALL OF OUR SPORTS ARE GOING TO GO.
WILL BE WITHOUT SPECTATORS? WE HAVEN'T QUITE REACHED THE FULL.
BUT I WOULD SAY AS IF I HAD TO SAY TODAY WHAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT.
RIGHT NOW YES, WE WANT TO WALK BEFORE WE RUN.
SO LET'S GET SOME GAMES AND MAKE SURE WE CAN KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE WHILE THEY'RE OUT [INAUDIBLE] WE THINK OR WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IN TO WATCH IT, BECAUSE THAT BECOMES OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL TO KEEP THOSE AREAS SAFE.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT FOR OUR KIDS BEFORE WE INTRODUCE ADDITIONAL EVEN OUTSIDE, I KNOW THE GOVERNOR HAS SOME THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO RELAX A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
WE ARE LOOKING INTO HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY STRAIGHTEN OUT LIKE WE'RE DOING THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW AND WE DO STREAMS AND THINGS IN OUR FORUMS. AND SO WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW IS IT A POSSIBILITY? SO WE'RE RESEARCHING THAT.
AND IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN UNTIL WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT SPECTATORS COMING [INAUDIBLE].
WE HAVE TO FIX A LOT OF CAMERAS IN OUR STADIUMS AND ALSO IN OUR GYMNASIUMS AND THROUGH THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF HIGH SCHOOL NETWORK.
I BELIEVE IT'S TEN BUCKS A MONTH LOOKING AT WHAT'S CALLED A TEN BUCKS A MONTH, YOU CAN STREAM ALL THE GAMES THAT ARE NOT JUST YOUR SCHOOL, BUT ALL SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO HOW WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT FOR OUR FAMILIES AS WELL TO GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO STILL SEE THE SPORTS WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT [INAUDIBLE].
THERE'S GOING TO BE BUMPS IN THE ROAD.
I'M GLAD THIS IS COMING TOGETHER.
I'M GLAD OUR STUDENTS ARE COMING.
AND THE NFL WASN'T PERFECT FOR NBA.
AND THEY GOT A LOT MORE DISPOSAL THAN WE DO.
BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S IMPERFECT THIS YEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR KIDS HAVE STRUGGLED ENOUGH.
BUT THEIR PARENTS WANT TO SEE THEM PLAY TOO, THE KIDS WANT TO SEE THEM PLAY.
AND EVEN IT'S OUTSIDE IT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR OUTSIDE FOOTBALL, OUTSIDE SOCCER AND FIELD HOCKEY, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S TOUGH FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GO HOME, WATCH SIX O'CLOCK OR ELEVEN O'CLOCK NEWS, WATCH [INAUDIBLE] AND SEE DELAWARE DOING IT.
YOU KNOW, SO EVEN INSIDE, IF WE'RE AT HOME, YOU KNOW, WE COULD I WOULD JUST THROW OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AWAY TEAM.
YOU GET IT AT HOME, BUT AT HOME, YOU KNOW, IF EACH KID GETS AT LEAST TWO AND IF WE
[02:30:01]
CAN'T DO THAT, SEEING YOUR KIDS.JUST THINK ABOUT THE SENIOR KIDS AND SENIOR FAMILIES RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WHAT WAS TAKE YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE THING'S JUST BEEN A MESS.
AND SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN WESTERN [INAUDIBLE] WERE ALLOWING ONE PARENT WITH THE THEORY OF THAT CHILD WOULD NEED TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM.
SO IF THAT ONE PARENT WAS THERE, THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.
SO I KNOW A COUPLE FAMILIES WHERE THE MOM WENT ONE GAME AND THE FATHER WENT THE OTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T GREAT, BUT IT WAS BETTER THAN NOTHING.
[INAUDIBLE] YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR [INAUDIBLE] RESPONDED THAT KIDS ARE COMING BACK.
SO I DID GIVE THAT BACK TO THE BOARD.
IN SUMMARY, WE SENT OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE ON SEPTEMBER 21ST FOR[INAUDIBLE] SIXTY FOUR PERCENT SAID YES.
AND I SAID THAT THAT WAS NOT TRUE.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO LIVE WITHIN THEIR ROLES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THESE KIDS.
IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I'M ALSO HEARING I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL JUST SAY IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHO'S WATCHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I HEARD A TEACHER STRUGGLING WITH A KID WHO REALLY NEEDED SOME EXTRA HELP.
THEY COULD TELL THROUGH THE THING THEY WEREN'T PERFORMING LIKE THEY KNEW THEY COULD WHEN THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY.
AND WHEN THE LIST CAME OUT, THAT STUDENT WASN'T ON THE LIST TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL.
AND THAT TEACHER WANTED TO SEE THAT TEACHER, THAT KID IN THE CLASSROOM SO BADLY SO THEY COULD CONNECT AND HOPEFULLY GET THEM THE EXTRA BUNCH THEY NEEDED.
AND I YOU KNOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT I HOPE WE CAN GRAB SOME OF THESE KIDS.
AND FOR THAT, I DO WANT TO SAY I WANT TO HAVE THAT TEACHERS ARE REALLY USING THEIR OFFICE AT ALL TIMES.
SO WHEN WE WENT TO THE THREE [INAUDIBLE], THERE ARE SOME WORK HOURS WHERE STUDENTS ARE NOT PRESENT IN THE BUILDING DUE TO THE THREE BUS RUNS AND THOSE HAVE CREATED ADDITIONAL OFFICE HOURS FOR OUR STAFF.
AND THEY HAVE REALLY BEEN UTILIZING THOSE OFFICE HOURS FOR ZOOMING WITH KIDS, SMALL GROUPS OR ONE ON ONES TO PROVIDE THAT.
I KNOW IT IS NOT THE SAME AS THAT IN PERSON, BUT TO STILL BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL OF THIS SPECIAL EDUCATION [INAUDIBLE].
IT WASN'T A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD A PARENT THAT JUST WANTED ALL THE CHILDREN TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT [INAUDIBLE].
[INAUDIBLE] I DON'T THINK I WAS ALLUDING TO THE FACT THAT WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO COME IN SCHOOL, I WAS ALLUDING TO THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR KIDS TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL NOW AND I EVEN [INAUDIBLE].
AND THE TEACHER WAS FRUSTRATED NOT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT FAMILY WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROTOCOLS WERE PUT IN PLACE.
BUT AS WE'RE TRYING TO STRESS THAT THE STUDIES IN OTHER STATES, THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE FORCE WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE HEALTH OFFICERS ARE SAYING OR THAT UNDER THE PROTOCOLS WERE, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING AND SPREAD OUT, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO GET IT IN OUR SCHOOLS THAN THEY WERE IN THE ENVIRONMENTS THEY'RE IN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE GROCERY STORE AND THE GROCERY STORE.
[02:35:47]
DIFFERENT THING GOING OUT THERE.ARE WE I MEAN, WITH ALL THIS ONLINE AND ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF SUBSTITUTE REQUIREMENTS? IS THERE A NEW CLASS OF SUBSTITUTE? THIS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A SILLY QUESTION.
SAY IS IF THE TEACHER IS, YOU KNOW, QUARANTINED, BUT AT HOME QUARANTINE CAN'T BE THERE.
DO WE NEED THE SAME LEVEL OF SUBSTITUTE IN THE CLASSROOM IF THAT TEACHER COULD TAP IN SOMEHOW OR NOT OR NOT? IS THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION? THEY'RE ALL TRAINED THE SAME.
AND SO THERE'S DIFFERENT DIFFERENT DAYS PROBABLY ARE MORE CHALLENGING THAN OTHERS, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE SAME FOR ANY CLASSROOM TEACHER, WHATEVER THE STUDENTS ARE DOING.
BUT CERTAINLY I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION TO BE THAT SOME SUBSTITUTES MAY JUST NEED TO MONITOR WHY THE TEACHER IS AT HOME, MAYBE BE TO TELL AND WHERE OTHER TEACHERS ACTUALLY NEED TO TEACH.
AND IS THAT DIFFERENTIATED IN ANY ASPECT? EXACTLY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER REALLY EXISTED BEFORE.
SO I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL TO BE A SUBSTITUTE.
YOU CAN'T DIFFERENTIATE, GOT TO BE CERTAIN.
SO IN THE END, IT'S A SUBSTITUTE.
[INAUDIBLE] UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT WHEN THINGS WERE [INAUDIBLE] SO DEEP CLEANING IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO IN THE SUMMERTIME WHERE ALL TH FURNITURE IS REMOVED FROM THE ROOM ITSELF.
IT'S CLEANED TOP TO BOTTOM, FLOORS ARE DONE.
SOMETIMES THERE'S TILE WASHING INVOLVED, REPAINTING, FIXING UP DIFFERENT THINGS.
ALL OF THAT IS DONE IN THE SUMMERTIME AND CLEANING IS INCLUDED IN THAT CARPET ARE CLEANED AND SUCH DURING THIS TIME FOR WE CLEAN EVERY DAY.
I KNOW MR. [INAUDIBLE] TALKED ABOUT THE I CONSIDER [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU, BUT IT'S SPRAYER AND THAT IS USED ON A ROUTINE BASIS BASED ON THE PART OF THE SOLUTION THAT'S THERE, OF HOW MANY DAYS THAT IT PROTECTS AGAINST A VIRUS.
AND EVERY AREA IS SPRAYED HERE AT CENTRAL OFFICE [INAUDIBLE].
EVERY CLASSROOM, EVERY AREA AND EVERY BUILDING IS ON A ROTATING SCHEDULE BASED ON THE CUSTODIAL STAFF AT THE SAME TIME.
OK, SO THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A DEEP CLEANING FOR COVID ON WEDNESDAY.
THERE ARE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THEIR ASYNCHRONOUS DAY ON MONDAY.
SO IT'S SEEMS THAT WE DECIDED TWO HOURS ON WEDNESDAY.
IT JUST SEEMS BETTER FOR PARENTS WITH POTENTIALLY IF WE HAVE TO CONTINUE, THAT MIGHT BE BE ABLE TO TAKE TIME.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS THE QUESTION THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD TO ASK YOU, I MEAN, [INAUDIBLE].
BUT THAT WASN'T A QUESTION THAT WE ASKED PARENTS.
AND SO WATCH OUT FOR THAT NUMBER.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IF WE CAN CONTINUE THAT, WE WOULD CERTAINLY SURVEY STAFF AND PARENTS TO SEE THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
BUT IT'S NOT FOR [INAUDIBLE] SO WHAT'S THE MAIN REASON [INAUDIBLE]?
[02:40:12]
THEY DO THEY ACTUALLY GET TIME TO PLAN.UP HERE SOON THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE BEFORE.
THE ASYNCHRONOUS DAYS ARE REALLY FOR STAFF MEMBERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TIME, TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE PLANNING THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS NEW VIRTUAL [INAUDIBLE] THAT THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO DO.
SO IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT ALL OF THIS TRAINING IS GOING ON [INAUDIBLE]? YES, THE MAJORITY OF IT IS GOING ON THROUGH ZOOM.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE SOME IF IT'S A TEAM APPROACH AND THEY CAN BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED, THEY CAN DO IT THAT WAY.
BUT IF IT'S A FACULTY MEETING OR A CIT THAT'S A LARGER GROUP, THEN THAT'S BEING DONE THROUGH ZOOM.
BECAUSE I MEAN, WE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE A LOT OF TH A GREAT QUESTION.
AND ACTUALLY, WE JUST HAD A PRINCIPAL MEETING WHERE WE WERE ONLINE.
AND I ASKED THAT EXACT QUESTION ACTUALLY WAS A PRINCIPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHY, BECAUSE EVERYBODY SO I ASKED THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF BASICALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE VERY ON TASK, VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON VERY PRODUCTIVE.
AND I THINK IT MAY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BE DISTRACTED.
PRODUCTIVE DAYS, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO PLAN APPROPRIATELY FOR THESE SIMULTANEOUS TEACHING AND BE ABLE TO DO ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THAT MR. [INAUDIBLE] TALKED ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, MS. MCCORMACK TALKED ABOUT, THAT DEREK'S TALKED IT OUT TO THAT ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONA DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE NEED FOR [INAUDIBLE].
AND I'D ALSO SAY THERE'S PREPARATION OF THE MATERIALS THAT ESPECIALLY WITH STUDENTS BEING IN AND NOW PREPARATION OF IN-PERSON MATERIALS.
AND THERE ARE TEAMS THAT DO GET TOGETHER SOCIALLY JUST IN PERSON TO PLAN ON THIS, GIVEN THESE.
IT'S I APPRECIATE THE DIALOG AND THE CONVERSATION, IT'S A CONUNDRUM, ACTUALLY, TO ME A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING A LITTLE MORE THOROUGH CLEANING ON WEDNESDAY, TOO.
BUT THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY, TOO, HAS CHANGED THE WAY, YOU KNOW, THESE [INAUDIBLE] OR KNOW SPRAYERS DIDN'T EXIST A FEW YEARS AGO THAT I'M AWARE OF.
BUT NOW WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED THEM.
BUT I THINK THERE'S STILL OPPORTUNITIES.
I STILL THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO LEARN THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND I HOPE WE CAN LOOK AT THEM.
DR. SAELENS, DID YOU HAVE IS YOUR YOU STILL GOT MORE YOUR REPORT? THAT WAS THE [INAUDIBLE].
I WILL BE REPORTING [INAUDIBLE].
I THINK WE HAD A REPORT OUT OF PLACE.
OK, GOING DOWN AT SIX POINT OR TWO AND THREE.
SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT [INAUDIBLE].
AND I'M NOT FIRST WITH INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE SNAPSHOT BEFORE ME.
PRESIDENT NEWCOME, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL SNAPSHOT TONIGHT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED.
ELEMENTARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS HAVE CONTINUED THEIR [INAUDIBLE] HAVING TO DO WITH COMPUTER SCIENCE STANDARDS AS WELL AS A TEAM OF TEACHERS AND
[02:45:02]
ADMINISTRATORS.I BROUGHT THIS FORWARD BEFORE, BUT NOW THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR PART TWO OF SCRIPT TRAINING, WHICH STANDS FOR--.
IT'S A MOUTHFUL, STRATEGIC COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR ALL RESOURCE AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING TOOL TO IDENTIFY STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES WITHIN OUR COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMING, AND THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN TO BOOST OUR PROGRAMS. THIS JUST HIGHLIGHTS ONE OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT WAS GIVEN WHEN [INAUDIBLE] WEDNESDAY USING [INAUDIBLE] AND THIS WAS ALL STRATEGIES THAT TEACHERS WERE SHARING OF WAYS THAT THEY ARE INCREASING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT.
THAT'S THE PICTURE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO A COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SENIOR JADEN BATSON HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE OUR VIRTUAL STUDENT PAGE THIS YEAR FOR THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND HAS ALREADY BEGAN PARTICIPATION IN THAT.
JADEN WILL BE RECOGNIZED WHEN HIS TERM IS UP.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO HAVE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
SO THAT GREAT HAVE VIRTUAL MUSIC FIELD TRIP WITH BRENT DANIELS AND YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM LEFT PICTURE OF THE KEYBOARD, I ACTUALLY GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THESE.
AND HE TOOK STUDENTS PARTICIPATION AND CREATED A SONG FOR THE STUDENTS.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND VERY ENGAGING.
[INAUDIBLE] I SHARED EARLIER BEGAN THEIR TECHNICAL ASSESSMENTS.
AND SO THERE'S A PICTURE HIGHLIGHTING THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE EARNED THEIR CERTIFICATES AND THEY ARE CONTINUING WITH THEIR PBIS STRATEGIES OF BEING READY.
THIS MONTH, MRS. WRIGHT, THE COSMETOLOGY INSTRUCTOR, WAS RECOGNIZED FOR BEING THE CHAMPION.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, YESTERDAY WE WERE ABLE TO BRING BACK IN OUR GROUP OF PRE-K TO THREE STUDENTS AND SIXTH AND NINTH GRADE STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO JUST SOME PICTURES TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THEIR FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL.
AND THEN THE NEXT PAGE I AM SO EXCITED FOR, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY ON THE LEFT OF OUR PORTRAIT OF A CAROLINE GRADUATE, WHICH CAME FROM OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ON THE RIGHT OUR PORTRAIT OF A CAROLINE IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL LEARNER THAT SHARES TOOLS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR SECOND SEMESTER SUCCESS.
WE USE TIPS AND BEST PRACTICES FROM BOTH STAFF AND STUDENTS TO CREATE THIS.
IT WENT OUT IN A NEWS RELEASE TODAY, THIS GRAPHIC THAT INCORPORATES ALL OF THOSE THINGS OF HAVING A WELL LIGHTED QUIET PLACE AT HOME SO THAT THERE ARE NO DISTRACTIONS, BEING ON TIME AND ON SCHEDULE FOR BOTH IN PERSON AND SYNCHRONICITY AND ASYNCHRONOUS DAYS, TALKED ABOUT THE GOOD CARE OF DEVICES AND BEING SURE TO HAVE YOUR DEVICE AND CHARGER BOTH WITH YOU AT HOME AND WITH YOU AT SCHOOL AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, LOGGING ON BEFORE CLASS BEGINS TO GOOGLE CLASSROOM, CHECKING EMAIL DAILY AND CHECKING HOW'RE SCHOOL GRADES.
SO JUST KIND OF A PORTRAIT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AS BEST PRACTICES TO BE SUCCESSFUL STUDENT IN THIS IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.
SO SCHOOLS HAVE RECEIVED THIS GRAPHIC AS WELL.
AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE IT AFTER THE NEWS RELEASE GOING OUT TODAY.
AND ANOTHER THING, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU AND BUT IT IS NOT HIGHLIGHTED HERE, BUT SANDY [INAUDIBLE] HAS CREATED A VIRTUAL BACKGROUND FOR ALL SCHOOLS.
AND ALL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS HAVE RECEIVED THOSE FILES.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING THOSE OUT TO THEIR STUDENTS IF THEY CHOOSE TO USE CCPS LOGO BACKGROUNDS TO POTENTIALLY KEEP THEIR CAMERAS ON.
SO WE REALLY ARE WE HAVE WE ALSO WANT THOSE CAMERAS ON AND ARE REALLY TRYING DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO PUT THEM IN.
[02:50:04]
ONE OF THE STUDENTS, I THINK, BACK ON MONDAY ACTUALLY SAID TO ONE TEACHER, I GET IT NOW.I GET WHY YOU CAN'T STAND STARING AT A BLANK SCREEN.
SO SEEING WHAT THE TEACHER WENT THROUGH WAS HELPING THEM.
SO MAYBE IF THEY HAVE TO GO BACK.
EXACTLY, AND WE ACTUALLY SAW THAT FROM GREENSBORO.
AND WHEN GREENSBORO HAD THEIR TWO WEEK CLOSURE, STUDENTS WHO CAME BACK AFTER THAT VIRTUAL RE-ENGAGEMENT WAS JUST DIFFERENT.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW OUR NEWLY IN-PERSON LEARNERS [INAUDIBLE].
WE DO HAVE SOME OLDER DEVICES IN WHICH WE KNOW THAT THE VIRTUAL BACKGROUND WON'T LOAD AND DOESN'T HAVE SOMETHING IN THE OPERATING SYSTEM TO SUPPORT IT.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE'LL WORK ON IT OVER TIME TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET IT AVAILABLE TO AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE.
DOES TAKE SOME DAY DATA OR USE OF DATA.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT BUT I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING AT YOUR I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BEHIND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE TEENY PICTURE.
BUT I DID I YOU KNOW, I'VE ACTUALLY WITNESSED IT'S NOT LISTENING TO MY DAUGHTER ONCE IN A WHILE.
AND I WAS LISTENING TO A TEACHER PLEADING FOR HIS FIRST SEMESTER OF NEW SEMESTER, STARTED IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THE TEACHER WAS PLEADING FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW WHAT? SOME OF YOU TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON.
I JUST WANT TO SEE WHO'S OUT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE STRESS OF EVERYTHING, BUT JUST IT'S NOT PERFECT.
BUT JUST SEEING SOME FACES, I'M SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, HELPS THE TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, EMOTIONALLY A LITTLE BIT, TOO.
AND THAT AND, YOU KNOW, JUST HOPE THESE STUDENTS THINK ABOUT THAT.
THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO'D LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE'S PEOPLE.
JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS TO SHOUT OUT.
FIRST OFF, THIS IS NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK.
SO IF YOU VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON SEE ANY OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, GIVE THEM AN ELBOW RUB, A LITTLE LOVE THERE, SOME AMAZING STUFF.
THE SCHOOL YEARS, AS THEY ALWAYS DO.
BUT THEY'VE REALLY BEEN PUTTING IN A TREMENDOUS EFFORT THIS YEAR AND THIS IS THEIR WEEK OF RECOGNITION.
SO, AGAIN, GIVE THEM SOME LOVE WHEN YOU SEE THEM.
TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION HAS SUPPLIED US WITH GLOVES, SOCKS, SCARVES AND HYGIENE KITS AS PART OF THEIR WARMING HEARTS AND HANDS ANNUAL OUTREACH, VITAL TO OUR STUDENT SERVICES OFFICE THROUGH BILL ALLEN.
AND BILL IS GETTING NEWS OUT FOR BUILDING PRINCIPALS THIS WEEK.
SO A VERY GENEROUS DONATION OF SUPPLIES AT THE PERFECT TIME TO YEAR.
MS. NICOLE FISHER OVERSAW A VIRTUAL SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS ON MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY OF DAY ONE.
NOT ALL OF THE VIRTUAL EVENT THIS YEAR NORMALLY TAKES PLACE IN THE TOWN OF DENTON.
WE HAD TO PIVOT WITH COVID, OF COURSE, AND WE HAD OVER 90 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE THAT DAY, WHICH WAS VERY EXCITING FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE.
MR. ERIC COOK, THE TEACHER SPECIALIST AT THE [INAUDIBLE] BUILDING, AND MRS. COURTNEY [INAUDIBLE] PRINCIPAL, PUT ON A REALLY AWESOME RUSHING DEVELOPMENT AROUND PBIS OR POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION SYSTEMS. ORIGINALLY PUT IT TOGETHER FOR THEIR OWN CAMPUS, BUT REACHED OUT TO ALL THE [INAUDIBLE] CHAIRS AROUND THE COUNTY.
THEY HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PBIS MARYLAND FRAMEWORK WHO DID A WONDERFUL JOB LOOKING AT STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS.
AND WE HAVE A COUPLE UPCOMING EVENTS, ONE OF WHICH, OF COURSE, THE BOARD IS VERY WELCOME TO ATTEND, AND THAT'S THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 9TH AT SIX P.M.
WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOU.
MS. NICOLE FISHER WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ATTEND.
AND WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TRAINING PLAN FOR TODAY WITH THE CLOSURE.
AND IT'S ALSO TAKING PLACE ON THURSDAY.
IT'S ENTITLED ADVANCING IS CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATORS AND WENT TO ALL OF OUR [INAUDIBLE] STAFF.
AND WE'RE AT WORK WITH THE EQUITY CONSORTIUM THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE YOU THERE.
[02:55:02]
OK.SPECIAL PROGRAMS, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THREE AREAS INSIDE THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS, ONE BEING SPECIAL EDUCATION OUR EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY ONE YEAR OLD PROGRAM OR TRANSITION CENTER.
THIS IS THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN MONUMENTAL FOR OUR CHILDREN IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
OUR TRANSITION CENTER IS FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE 18 TO 21 YEARS OLD.
AND WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK HAVE THEM WORK WITH A JOB COACH TO SECURE A COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT.
AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR THE LAST AT LEAST, WHAT, 12 YEARS? I THINK IT'S 12 YEARS.
IT WAS BEFORE ME WHEN IT STARTED, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS DURING COVID.
OUR EMPLOYERS AGREED TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN COME BACK IN AND PERFORM THEIR JOBS.
SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THEM DOING THE JOBS THAT THEY WERE DOING AND THEN ALSO INSIDE THE TRANSITION CENTER.
WE HAVE A PAES LAB AND I KNOW I'VE SHARED THIS WITH YOU BEFORE, BUT FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS A PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT EXPLORATION SYSTEM.
AND WHAT IT IS IS TWO HUNDRED PLUS JOBS.
AND EACH ONE OF THESE JOBS IS INSIDE OF A BOX AND THE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO SELECT WHAT JOB THEY WANT TO WORK ON.
AND IF THEY PRACTICE THAT SKILL AND IT CAN BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WRAPPING BURGERS AT MCDONALD'S AND TIME YOURSELF, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, YOU WANT TO GET FASTER AND ALL THE KIDS LIKE THAT JOB.
AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER JOBS THAT INVOLVE YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS.
YOU MIGHT BE A MEET AND GREET PERSON, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT? AND IN SOME OF THESE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, THE CHILDREN NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DO THESE.
WE'VE HAD CHILDREN WORK AT LOWE'S.
OR ARE SOME OF THE EMPLOYERS UP HERE.
BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD THEM WORK AT LOWE'S AND WAL-MART.
BUT JUST TO KNOW THAT THE EMPLOYERS WORK WITH US DURING THIS TIME TO HAVE OUR KIDS CONTINUE THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND THE FAMILIES WERE VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE.
SO AND THEN I JUST HAD A SMALL PIECE HERE THAT GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS IN FIFTH GRADE HAD A FOLLOW UP TO WHAT MRS. MCCORMICK WAS SHARING WITH BRETT DANIELS.
AND THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE SOME OF THESE MUSIC WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TRAILERS LIKE HE HAS DONE WITH FOR SOME OF THE MOVIES AND I'VE LISTED THEM THERE.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM.
AND THEN ON THE BACK, YOU KNOW HOW EXCITED WE ARE ABOUT OUR PRE-K OR ACTUALLY THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PLAYGROUNDS.
AND HERE ARE PICTURES THAT WE HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF THE TIRE MULCH WE PUT THESE GREAT TILES DOWN.
THEY HAVE THAT SAME KIND OF CUSHION LIKE THE MULCH THAT WE HAD IN THERE.
I WOULD THINK THAT IF SOMEBODY FELL, IT WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE TO FALL ON IT'S A VERY SOFT PIECE OF TILE.
THEN MULCH, WE ALSO ADDED THE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE SWINGS.
VERY EXCITING, PLACED THE SLIDES.
WE ADDED THESE REALLY NEAT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR OUTSIDE.
AND I CAN'T I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THESE KIDS PLAYING ON THESE PLAYGROUNDS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'VE ADDED THE SHADE STRUCTURES.
JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHAT'S THE CLEANING PROCESS [INAUDIBLE]? WE HAVEN'T USED THEM YET.
DOESN'T MAKE YOU WANT TO GO OUT THERE? YEAH, YEAH.
I MEAN, WHEN I SAW THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, I GOT VERY, VERY EXCITED.
OUR PLAYGROUNDS ARE ALL CLOSED EVEN TO ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS [INAUDIBLE].
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SPORTS.
I THINK WE NEED TO LIKE DEREK SUGGESTED, WE NEED TO WALK BEFORE WE CAN RUN SO LET'S GET OUR KIDS BACK IN.
AND THEN AS WE MOVE THROUGH, WE'LL START ADDING THINGS.
AND THAT WOULD BE ONE THING THAT WE ADD A PROTOCOL FOR HOW TO CLEAN, WHO'S GONNA GET TO PLAY, WHAT TIME [INAUDIBLE] PLAY ON IT.
SO I THINK MORE TO COME FOR SURE.
THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, CLEANING SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS VERSUS ALL THE GERMS AND DIRT THAT YOU ATE AS A KID AT CONCERTS AND WHATNOT.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT TO WORRY ABOUT HOW DO WE WIPE DOWN THE MONKEY BARS.
OBVIOUSLY, BETH CONTINUES TO CHAMPION HER PROGRAM, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE FOR YOU TO READ, BUT OF NOTE ARE THE NUMBER OF GRANTS THAT SHE CONTINUES TO GO AFTER TO HELP SUPPORT HER PROGRAM.
AND THE VERY TOP, YOU KNOW, JUST THE STATISTICS, THE NUMBER OF MEALS SERVED ON
[03:00:02]
DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, ALL OF WHICH WERE DELIVERED AND NONE OF WHICH SERVED IN THE CLASS IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE, WHICH IS JUST A PHENOMENAL EFFORT ON THEIR PART.AND THEN FACILITIES, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO AT LEAST DRIVE BY GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY YOU SHOULD.
THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS OF TWO, TWO OF THE FOUR STRUCTURES THAT STAND OUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE ROAD, THESE ARE THE ACTUAL CLASSROOM WINGS TWO STORE CLASSROOM WINGS, THE TWO STRUCTURES ON THE LEFT OR MORE OF A RED SOLID BRICK.
THOSE ARE THE CAFETERIA AND GYMNASIUM AND ADMIN AREA.
AND SO DISTINGUISHED VISITORS CLEARLY SEE CAN WALK UP AND SEE WHERE THE ENTRANCE IN.
AND THAT'S RIGHT IN BETWEEN AND OTHER PICTURES ARE.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MORE NEARLY FINISHED SURFACES INSIDE THE BUILDING.
TOP PICTURE IS THE CAFETERIA AND HOW OPEN THAT IS AND LOOKING TOWARDS THE STREET AND THEN DOWN THE CENTER THERE, THAT'S AN INSIDE OF A SOON TO BE FINISHED BATH, RESTROOM.
AND THEN WINDOW SYSTEMS IN PLACE IN AN OFFICE OR CLASSROOM THERE ON THE RIGHT.
CERTAIN PHASES ARE AT THAT POINT OR LATER PHASES ARE STILL OPEN WITH NO WINDOWS.
AND THAT'S THAT WHOLE SCHEDULING.
AND HOW THEY MOVE THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING ENABLES THEM TO HAVE AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME WELL OVER 100 WORKERS THERE ON A DAILY BASIS.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO START TO DROP DOWN NOW AS THEY GET INTO MORE OF THE FINISH PHASES AND LESS INTO LIKE MASONRY IS GOING TO DROP OFF, WHICH IS A HEAVY MANPOWER TRADE AND SOME OTHER TRADES AS WELL.
IT'S WELL INTO THE 70 PERCENT COMPLETION THRESHOLD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
ON TARGET TO CUT TO BE COMPLETED MID TO LATE JUNE, RIGHT AROUND JUNE 24TH.
THEY SHOULD BE IN A POSITION TO GIVE US A GREEN LIGHT TO BEGIN TO MOVE FURNITURE OVER FROM THE CURRENT SCHOOL INTO THE SCHOOL, THIS NEW SCHOOL WITH WELL IN TARGET TO OCCUPY THIS FACILITY FOR THE START OF THE OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
MOST MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, MAYBE I SHOULD SAY EVERYONE HAS A GLITCH, HAS A HICCUP, AT SOMETHING.
DOES THIS ONE NOT HAD? OH, WE'VE HAD MORE THAN UP.
THAT HAD TO MITIGATE THROUGH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS THAT NEARLY MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK GROUND THERE IN A TIMELY FASHION TO KEEP THIS PROJECT ON TRACK.
HE DIDN'T DISCOVER ANY DINOSAURS OR ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED? ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY THAT HAPPENED.
A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE DRILLED A SEPARATE NON POT OF WELL TO PROVIDE WATER FOR THE COOLING TOWER, FOR THE BUILDING.
AND THE DAY AFTER THE WELL WAS DRILLED, ANOTHER CONTRACTOR BACKED OVER THE WELL AND SNAPPED IT OFF AND SHEARED IT AND DROPPED THE WHOLE WELL CASING IN THE PUMPING EVERYTHING INTO THE AQUIFER.
THAT'S WHY THEY ALL CARRY INSURANCE.
WE ACTUALLY CARRY THE BUILDERS RISK.
SO WE THE PROJECT DOESN'T SLOW DOWN.
AND IF THERE'S AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING, WE TAKE CARE OF THAT AND WE TURN IT OVER.
INSURANCES GET INVOLVED AFTER THE FACT.
IT ENABLES THE PROJECT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY.
AND BECAUSE OF OUR CHALLENGES IN THE BEGINNING, WE REALLY DIDN'T BREAK GROUND UNTIL DECEMBER.
ON PROBABLY THE COLDEST DAY IN DECEMBER AND KUDOS TO [INAUDIBLE] AND ALL OF THE CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT THEY WORK WITH.
BUT THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING FROM WORKING IT THROUGH THE WEEKENDS, EXTRA HOURS TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MEET THAT MAR [INAUDIBLE].
TROUBLE GETTING ENOUGH MASONS AND THEY REALLY HELD THE TARGET AND SAID, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE AMOUNT OF JOBS THAT WE GOT HERE AND THEIR [INAUDIBLE] TO MAKE THAT THIS PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD SWIFTLY AND ON TIME IS COMMENDABLE.
IT'S THE IT'S A IT'S THE CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY THAT WE'VE EMPLOYED HERE, IT'S CALLED THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AT RISK, AND IT'S NOT A NEW METHODOLOGY.
IT'S RELATIVELY NEW IN MARYLAND FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.
BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE THIRD PROJECT WHICH WE'VE USED THAT PROJECT DELIVERY
[03:05:02]
METHOD.AND SO IF THEY DON'T FINISH WITHIN THE SCHEDULED TIME, THEY EAT ALL THE ADDITIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH NOT MAKING THE DEADLINE AND.
THEY WORKING ON THE WEEKENDS AND SO FAR.
SEVEN IT'S POINTS SOME DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, MULTIPLE SHIFTS A DAY.
OF COURSE, THE WORKERS, MOST OF THEM WANT THE WORK TO SPEAK OF.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE THEY'VE HAD TO BACK OFF BECAUSE THEY'VE JUST BURNED OUT CERTAIN TRADE, CERTAIN WORKFORCES.
BUT AND THE FINAL THING REAL QUICK IS TO MENTION THAT ONCE THE CURRENT BUILDING IS RAISED, YOU KNOW, TORN DOWN, THERE WILL BE A BRAND NEW [INAUDIBLE] CENTER BUILT THERE ON PART OF THAT SITE OF THE CURRENT BUILDING, APPROXIMATELY 7000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
THE COUNTY IS APPLYING FOR A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE FUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BUILDING.
AND SENATOR HERSHEY AND ELLIOT GRACE ARE SUPPORTING A FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR CAPITAL BOND BILL TO ASSIST WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
SO WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR EFFORTS HERE IN CAROLINE.
AND BACK TO COMMUNICATIONS, OUR TOP SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THIS MONTH WERE BOTH RELATED TO A REOPENING PLAN, WHICH IS NO SURPRISE.
THE ORIGINAL NEWS WAS SHARED 137 TIMES.
ALSO ON THE LEFT, A ZOOM PICTURE OF ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS WORKING ON PLANS FOR FEBRUARY WAS WELL RECEIVED.
AND THERE'S A LIST I WAS REFERENCING EARLIER OF THE MOST VISITED PAGES ON OUR WEB SITE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE POSITIVE PAGE REPORT PAGES IN THE TOP 10 ALONG WITH THE NEWS PAGE.
AND THIS SHOULD MAKE MS. [INAUDIBLE] HAPPY.
ALSO, THE NEW LIVE STREAMING IS GOING REALLY WELL.
AND BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING AND YESTERDAY, THAT PAGE HAS BEEN ACCESS THE VIDEO'S BEEN ACCESSED APPROXIMATELY 500 TIMES IN JANUARY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE GOING BACK AND WATCHING IT, WHETHER THEY WATCHED IT.
I GUESS THAT DOESN'T SAY WHETHER THEY WATCHED IT THAT NIGHT OR A WEEK LATER.
WELL, RACHEL AND I BOTH WERE HAD JUST ACCESS THE DATA FOR THE FIRST TIME RECENTLY.
WE CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION NEXT MONTH.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE JUST WANTED TO LOOK AT THE VIEWS AND THEN WE CAN DIG INTO HOW LONG AND EXACTLY WHEN AND WHICH VIDEO, BECAUSE THEY DID HAVE ACCESS TO NOT ONLY THE JANUARY BOARD MEETING, BUT THE JANUARY WORK SESSION.
IS THERE WHEN IT WAS ON THE NEW SYSTEM.
BUT WHEN WE WERE DOING ON VIMEO AND I JUST NOTICED IT BECAUSE IT WAS NEW AND EXCITING, BUT LIKE YOU COULD SEE WHY YOU WERE STREAMING HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ACTIVELY LIVE AT THAT MOMENT.
AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE WE ALWAYS HAD A GOOD TURNOUT MORE THAN WE WOULD HAVE A NORMAL MEETING.
BUT I THINK I FORGOT WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ONE NIGHT.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AFTER WE WERE BRINGING BACK TO SCHOOL AND PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO IF WE WERE GOING TO CANCEL AGAIN OR NOT.
BUT I REMEMBER LOOKING AT IT AND IT WAS JUST INTERESTING TO NOTE WE HAD OVER 300 PEOPLE THAT NIGHT ONLINE.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN ADD TO IT NOW, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY OR NOT? DON'T HAVE TO BE ANSWERED NOW, BUT JUST A THOUGHT.
AND CERTAINLY THAT'S ON THAT RACHEL AND I WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT AND TRYING TO KIND OF PARSE OUT THAT DATA AND SEE WHAT WE CAN USE AND WHAT WE CAN LET GO, BECAUSE THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF IT.
BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT, I BELIEVE.
RACHEL, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY DRILL DOWN TO SEE HOW MANY VIEWS AND ALL OF THAT DATA, IT'S JUST A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
I JUST IT'S A NEAT REMINDER TOO, BECAUSE IT'S INTERESTING FOR ME.
BUT IT'S ALSO I THINK IT'S A NEAT REMINDER AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE LATER.
BUT IT'S A NEAT REMINDER OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE ACTIVELY LIVE IF, YOU KNOW, YOU GLANCE AT IT OR ONCE IN A WHILE AND JUST PAY ATTENTION.
SO SEE WHERE WERE WE? SO THAT WAS FEBRUARY SNAPSHOT MOVING ON ALRIGHT, DO WE STILL HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO HAVEN'T GONE TO BED YET? ZACH, ARE YOU HERE FOR REPRESENTING NORTH CAROLINE? YES.
THANK YOU FOR SITTING, BEARING WITH US.
DR. SAELENS, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
TO KICK THINGS OFF AT DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAST MONTH, SECOND THROUGH FIFTH
[03:10:02]
GRADE STUDENTS COMPLETED THEIR I-READY ASSESSMENTS.ALSO, THE DENTON DOLPHINS STAFF WERE EXCITED TO WELCOME BACK PRE-K THROUGH THIRD GRADE STUDENTS BACK INTO SCHOOL.
THEY WANT TO SEND A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO MS. ANN BUFFENMYER FOR ALL SHE DOES.
AND SHE WAS NAMED NATIONAL STUDENT COUNSELOR OF THE WEEK.
CONGRATULATIONS TO MS. BUFFENMYER.
SOME UPCOMING EVENTS FOR RES INCLUDE ANOTHER SPIRIT WEEK FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF DURING THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 1ST THROUGH THE 5TH.
[INAUDIBLE] IS ALSO EXPECT TO HAVE THE BOOK FAIR DURING FEBRUARY 8TH THROUGH THE 19TH.
OVER IN GREENSBORO AT GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAST MONTH, THE SCHOOL SUCCESSFULLY DISTRIBUTED QUARTER THREE MATERIALS TO VIRTUAL LEARNERS, SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING FOR MS. SWANN PRINCIPAL AT GES.
SHE GOT TO TOUR THE NET SITE OF GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH DR. SAELENS.
UPCOMING FOR THE HORNETS INCLUDES TEACHER INTERNS BEGINNING JOBS VERY SHORTLY.
LAST MONTH, THE WILDCATS HAD THEIR ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY CEREMONY BUT VIRTUALLY.
UPCOMING FOR THE WILDCATS INCLUDES A PBIS INCENTIVE FOR STUDENTS ON FEBRUARY 5TH.
BACK IN RIDGELY AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL, LAST MONTH NCHS TEACHERS POLAR BEAR PLUNGE TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS, THEY ENDED UP RAISING MORE THAN TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
UPCOMING FOR THE BULLDOGS INCLUDE THE SECOND SEMESTER BEGUN ON FEBRUARY 1ST, AS WELL AS NINTH GRADE STUDENTS WILL WELCOME BACK INTO THE SCHOOL.
ON FEBRUARY 15TH THERE IS NO SCHOOL.
AND LASTLY, ON FEBRUARY 16TH, GRADES 10, 11 AND 12 STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE WELCOME BACK INTO SCHOOL FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING IN A HYBRID WAY.
LASTLY, AT CCTC STUDENTS COMPLETED THEIR INDUSTRY ASSESSMENTS.
UPCOMING FOR CCTC INCLUDES ON FEB.
10TH A VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE AND ON FEBRUARY 16TH WELCOMING STUDENTS BACK INTO THE BUILDING FOR SOME IN-PERSON LEARNING.
OVER ALL THE SCHOOLS IN WHICH I REPORT FOR ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE WELCOMING STUDENTS BACK INTO SCHOOL AND FINALLY GET TO TEACH IN PERSON.
HOW ARE YOU HOLDING OUT? GOOD.
JILLIAN, ARE YOU STILL HERE? YES, I'M STILL HERE.
WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOUTH BEND? ALL RIGHT.
SO GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
ON JANUARY 21ST AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY.
THERE WAS A STEM NIGHT WHERE FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES AND PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
AND THEN ON FEBRUARY 17TH, FES WILL HOLD MATH AND READING NIGHT.
PRESTON ELEMENTARY HELD FAMILY CURRICULUM NIGHTS ON JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH AND TWENTY SIXTH TO HELP UPDATE PARENTS ON WHAT THEIR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN LEARNING THIS YEAR.
THEN THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE WEEK, PES FAMILIES WHO ARE STAYING VIRTUAL WILL BE ABLE TO STOP BY THE SCHOOL AND PICK UP MATERIALS THAT THEIR STUDENTS WILL NEED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
AT THE END OF THE MONTH, THERE WILL BE A SPIRIT WEEK.
COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL HELD THEIR INDUCTION CEREMONY FOR THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY ON THE 21ST OF JANUARY, INDUCTING TWENTY THREE STUDENTS INTO THE GROUP AND THE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS HELD EIGHTH GRADE TRANSITION MEETINGS WITH FAMILIES ON THE 21ST AND 22ND FOR RISING FRESHMAN.
CRHS SUCCESSFULLY DISTRIBUTED SEMESTER TWO MATERIALS THROUGHOUT THE PAST WEEK, GETTING READY TO WELCOME STUDENTS BACK WHO ARE ON THE HYBRID SCHEDULE.
AND FINALLY, THERE WILL BE A TRANSITION NIGHT FOR THE CLASS OF TWENTY TWENTY FIVE THROUGH ZOOM ON FEBRUARY 9TH.
HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP? I'M OK.
YOU MADE ANY DECISIONS? I, LIKE ABOUT COLLEGE? YEAH.
I HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS OR A FEW SCHOOLS THAT STILL NEED TO GIVE ME THEIR DECISIONS ON WHETHER I AM IN OR NOT.
GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF YOU WITH THAT.
THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN WITH US.
IS ZACH? I SHOULD ASK ZACH [INAUDIBLE].
MOVING ON TO THE FINANCE REPORT.
I HOPE WE HAVE SOME MONEY BECAUSE WE JUST [INAUDIBLE].
GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, DR. SAELENS, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU OUR FINANCIAL REPORT AS OF JANUARY 31ST.
WE ARE SEVEN MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR AND WE SPENT APPROXIMATELY FORTY SEVEN PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET.
WE ARE UNDERSPENT COMPARED TO WHERE WE NORMALLY ARE AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR.
[03:15:01]
AS MR. NAGEL MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE BEEN CAUTIOUS WITH OUR SPENDING.UNTIL RECENTLY, WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE A MID-YEAR FUNDING CUT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WE'VE HAD BUDGETARY SAVINGS AND SEVERAL LINE ITEMS SUCH AS TRAVEL, MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES, SUBSTITUTES AND ATHLETIC TRANSPORTATION.
WE'VE ALSO HAD SAVINGS FROM THE VACANT POSITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY FROZEN.
BASED ON OUR CONSERVATIVE SPENDING AND ACTIONS TAKEN.
WE'VE ACCUMULATED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SAVINGS AND WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE EARLIER ACTION ITEM, WHICH WILL ENABLE US TO PUT SOME OF THESE SAVINGS TO GOOD USE BY REWARDING OUR PERMANENT EMPLOYEES WITH A FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR, ONE TIME PAYMENT FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION DURING THESE DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TIMES.
HEARING NONE, WE'LL BE MOVING ON TO REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS.
[6. Reports and Presentations]
WITH THIS COMING ON, I JUST LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD WITH THE HOUR THAT WE'RE AT AND A GOOD CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING.AND I THINK WE HAVE A WORK SESSION SCHEDULED IN TWO WEEKS, WHICH HAS A TOPIC OF WHAT, DR. SAELENS? WE HAVE TWO.
[INAUDIBLE] ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMING [INAUDIBLE].
WHICH WAS A QUESTION RAISED BY BOARD MEMBER [INAUDIBLE] DURING THE ORIENTATION.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE [INAUDIBLE] ASSESSMENT [INAUDIBLE].
OK, SO AND OUR WORK SESSIONS ARE TYPICALLY TWO HOURS, SIX TO EIGHT, WE TENTATIVELY OUTLINE .
YES, USUALLY WE TRY TO GO TWO HOUR.
HOW LONG DO YOU THINK BOTH OF THOSE TOGETHER [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE? THAT'S THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD.
I JUST I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, THOUGH, AS WE MOVE INTO THIS REPORT AND PRESENTATION AREA, IF ANY, THE BOARD'S OPINION AND I THINK WE HAVE MS. MORGAN COX ONLINE FOR NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS.
WE REALLY ALREADY HAD A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE CUZ [INAUDIBLE] BE THE FUNDING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY FOCUSED ON.
NEXT WEEK, THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON [INAUDIBLE] LEGISLATION, KIND OF GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THAT HOUSE BILL WAS ABOUT THIRTEEN HUNDRED FROM LAST YEAR.
SO MORE TO COME, BUT THERE'S NOT A.
A LOT MORE TO A LOT MORE TO COME.
AND I CAN FORWARD OUT THE YOU KNOW, MR. BARTON MENTIONED I GOING FORWARD OUT THE MAIN LEGISLATIVE NOTES, DISCUSSION THE ITEMS. SO 6.02 AND 6.03 ARE ACTUALLY ONE PRESENTATION PARSED OUT PER THE BOARD'S REQUEST.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THAT RECRUITING UPDATE, [INAUDIBLE].
WHICH HONESTLY, IT'S KIND OF ALMOST SELF EXPLANATORY I'D SAY WE JUST LOOK AT IT HERE TONIGHT.
BUT I GUESS BOARD MEMBERS I'M ASKING IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN POTENTIALLY MOVING THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS DISCUSSIONS TO OUR WORK SESSION IN TWO WEEKS? MY CONCERN WITH THAT WOULD BE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD BENEFIT FROM HEARING.
[INAUDIBLE] WELL, I THINK YEAH YOU'RE RIGHT.
WORK SESSIONS ARE BROADCAST THE SAME WAY.
WELL, THE FIRST ONE, I BELIEVE THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THE COMMISSIONER'S REQUEST WAS ALL BY ZOOM.
THE ONE WE HAD WE HAD ONE IN DECEMBER THAT WAS CLOSED THOUGH.
I DON'T THINK WE HAD A WORK SESSION IN DECEMBER, BUT THE ONE IN JANUARY WAS THE COMMISSIONER'S THAT WAS RECORDED.
[INAUDIBLE] BUT I THINK IF WE DID CHOOSE TO DO THAT, WE WE'RE MAKING NOTICE NOW THAT IF WE IF THERE IS A MOTION AND INTEREST TO DO THAT IN THE ESSENCE OF TIME OF THE EVENING AND DISCUSSION WE LIKE TO HAVE ABOUT THESE TOPICS, THE PEOPLE WATCHING NOW, WE WOULD BE TELLING THEM WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT IN TWO WEEKS.
THE AGENDA WOULD BE PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE AND THEN IT'S GOING TO BE STREAMED WITH THE SAME TECHNOLOGY, EVERY PUBLIC MEETING [INAUDIBLE].
AS WE'RE SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC I'M.
IT'S ALREADY THE [INAUDIBLE] OF THE, THE POWERPOINT ITSELF WAS ACTUALLY UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT REPORT, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO BE DOING IT, BUT I REALLY SHOULD HAVE HOUSED UNDER SIX POINT TWO AND SIX POINT THREE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE COMBINED IN ONE PRESENTATION.
SO THAT THE POWERPOINT IS ACTUALLY ALREADY OUT THERE SO THE TALKING POINTS ARE ALREADY OUT THERE.
FOR THE PUBLIC TODAY SO THEY CAN IF THEY CHOOSE TO LOOK AT THAT, THEN THEY CAN
[03:20:05]
CHOOSE TO SIGN IN AND LISTEN.IF THEY WANT TO AND IN ANOTHER COUPLE WEEKS, IF THEY WANT SOME CLARIFICATION OR TO LISTEN TO THE DISCUSSION, BUT IT'S THERE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
AS FAR AS EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, THE STAFF ENGAGEMENT SURVEY WAS SUPPOSE TO BE SENT OUT BY THE END OF JANUARY.
I THINK THAT WAS OUR, REALLY HONESTLY, THAT WAS OUR TARGET DATE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE REPORTED OUT OR NOT.
I KNOW THAT I SHARE THAT WITH [INAUDIBLE].
I'M NOT SURE I SHARED THAT WITH EVERYONE.
SO I APOLOGIZE IF THAT'S THE CASE.
BUT IN MEETING WITH [INAUDIBLE] WHO IS THE VENDOR, IT WAS A THIRD PARTY PERSON.
THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE ASK SOME QUESTIONS AS TO [INAUDIBLE] ITSELF.
THEY FELT IT WOULD BE VALUABLE SO WE ADDED ANOTHER SECTION OF FIVE QUESTIONS, AND THAT'S JUST [INAUDIBLE] POSSIBLE THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE SURVEY WILL LIKELY GO OUT TOMORROW.
SANDY, ARE YOU STILL ONLINE OR ACTUALLY, OR DEBBIE'S HERE.
THE SURVEYS WILL BE GOING TOMORROW? [INAUDIBLE] WITH A THIRD PARTY PERSON.
IT'S JUST A MATTER WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] THAT PERSON [INAUDIBLE].
SOME OF OUR SURVEYS THAT WE'VE SENT OUT TO PARENTS HAVE BEEN A LINK.
THIS IS ACTUALLY GOES INDIVIDUALLY TO OUR STAFF.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING IT WELL, BECAUSE IT IS NOT, IT'S GOING TO SENT THROUGH A THIRD PARTY VENDOR.
SO WE DON'T NEED A LINK, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO SEND IT INDIVIDUALLY TO STAFF SO JUST A TINY BIT MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
[INAUDIBLE] OKAY, HOLD ON A SEC.
LET ME JUST LET ME JUST GET BACK ON TRACK FOR THE MEETING HERE FOR A SECOND, OK? CUZ NOT THAT WE CAN'T HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, BUT SO WE FINISHED WITH THE FINANCE REPORT.
WE'RE ENTERING IN THE REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS, LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
I'M GOING TO REPORT OUT THAT I'M GOING TO SEND OUT THE MAIN LEGISLATIVE NOTES TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS.
THE ONE NOTE AND I WOULD SAY IS BECAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE WORK SESSION WITH COMMISSIONERS, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE RESOURCE, THE SENATE BILL, A HOUSE BILL ABOUT RESOURCE OFFICERS NOT BEING ALLOWED TO EVEN ENTER THE SCHOOL, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS, [INAUDIBLE] HAS OPPOSED THAT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPOSITION TO THAT SPECIFIC.
I THINK IT'LL BE DEAD ON ARRIVAL SO, OK, SO I JUST WANT TO REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND ANYBODY THAT THAT INFORMATION'S OUT THERE, TOO, THAT [INAUDIBLE]'S IN OPPOSITION TO THAT.
SO LET'S, IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN MOVING THE 6.02 CHAIN OF COMMAND AT THIS POINT TO THE PRESENTATION AT THE WORK SESSION IN TWO WEEKS? AND 6.03? I'M DOING ONE AT A TIME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION.
OK SO I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. BARTON TO.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
I APPRECIATE THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING THIS TIME INTO THESE REPORTS.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO SHORT CIRCUIT THAT.
THIS BOARD OBVIOUSLY LIKES TO HAVE CONVERSATION AND QUESTIONS.
AND BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE ALL BEEN UP SINCE EARLY.
SO MOVING ON TO 6.03 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, I WOULD PROPOSE ASK IF WE COULD DO THE SAME THING THERE, YOU KNOW, AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS RELATING TO THAT RIGHT NOW.
BEFORE WE GET INTO PRESENTATION, I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, DR. SAELENS DID REPORT TO ME THAT STAFF WAS DEALING WITH QUALTRICS IS IT? YES.
QUALTRICS, AND THEY DID OFFER THAT WE SHOULD MAYBE ADD A FEW QUALIFYING QUESTIONS, THE SAME QUESTIONS WE ASKED PREVIOUSLY.
BUT I ADD A FEW QUALIFYING QUESTIONS, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT WHAT'S COVID AND WHAT'S MAYBE NOT COVID RELATED INTO IN LAYMAN'S TERMS. SO THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE ASKED TO KEEP US UPDATED.
AND, YOU KNOW, DONNA, I DID DRAFT A LETTER COMING FROM THE BOARD AND ASKED FOR YOU TO PROOFREAD IT.
SO WHEN THAT DOES COME OUT, THE BOARD, WANT TO SEND A LETTER TO RACHEL TO, YOU KNOW, REITERATE AND ASK EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE.
AND WHEN IT COMES OUT, WE'LL SEE.
DO YOU THINK YOU WE'LL HAVE IT BY THE NEXT MEETING? YEAH, NOT THE DATA.
THE SURVEY ACTUALLY IS OUT FOR 10 DAYS.
IT TAKES QUITE A LONG TIME [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE WORKING WITH A THIRD PARTY AND THEY NEED TIME TO DIGEST IT, AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY DEVELOP A FULL BLOWN REPORT AND THEN WE SCHEDULE FOR THEM TO COME TO A WORK SESSION SO THAT THEY CAN DELIVER THAT REPORT BECAUSE IT'S A THIRD PARTY.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT WORK.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DON'T PUT OUR HANDS ON THAT DATA THAT THAT DATA COMES FROM THE COMPANIES THAT IT'S VERY CLEAN FROM
[03:25:02]
THE COMPANY THIRD PARTY [INAUDIBLE].I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
[INAUDIBLE] STAFF, WE NEED YOU TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY.
NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO [INAUDIBLE].
YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, IF YOU DON'T FILL THE SURVEY OUT, MY PERSONAL OPINION, YOU WILL BE WAIVING YOUR RIGHT TO COMPLAIN.
OK? IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOOD, SHARE.
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE PART OF THE CHANGE EITHER WAY BUT WE NEED YOU TO PLEASE FILL OUT THE SURVEY.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT OUR LETTER WILL FOLLOW UP WITH AS WELL.
SO FOR THE FULL OR MORE DETAILED EMPLOYEE RELATIONS PRESENTATION THAT THE STAFF ARE PREPARED, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THAT TO THE WORK SESSION? MOVED BY DIGIACOMO, SECOND BY MS. DILL.
NEXT WE, MORGAN, I BELIEVE WE HAVE MS. MORGAN COX ON THE LINE FOR A PRESENTATION.
YES, MORGAN IS ONLINE AND RACHEL IS PULLING HER UP.
CAROLINE COUNTY SCHOOLS HAS HAD AN OUTSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH MARYLAND BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE AND VRT FOR EDUCATION FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND VRT RECEIVED A GRANT COUPLED WITH US THROUGH THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS GRANT PROGRAM.
AND MORGAN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US WITH OUR STUDENTS, OUR RIDGELY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND SHE'S COHORTING WITH THOSE KIDS ALONG THE WAY, DONE SOME REALLY OUTSTANDING THINGS TO WORK WITH KIDS TO INCREASE COLLEGE READINESS AND COLLEGE GOING OPPORTUNITIES, AND MORGAN'S HERE TONIGHT TO KIND OF GIVE AN UPDATE OF KIND OF HOW LAST YEAR WENT.
HOW SHE NAILED IT, GOING THROUGH COVID.
FINDING WAYS TO KEEP KIDS ENGAGED AND BEEN DOING SOME EXCITING THINGS THIS YEAR AS WELL.
SO, MORGAN, THANKS FOR HANGING IN THERE.
GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT NEWCOMB AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS A LONG NIGHT FOR EVERYBODY, SO I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
BUT LIKE DR. [INAUDIBLE] SAID, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROGRAM OR MARYLAND BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE FOR EDUCATION, WE ARE A NONPROFIT BASED OUT OF BALTIMORE, AND OUR WORK IS ROOTED IN BRIDGING THAT GAP BETWEEN THE WORKFORCE AND THE SCHOOL WORLD.
SO WE DO HAVE A BOARD THAT HELPS RUN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AT IN VRT.
BUT ONE OF THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND OBVIOUSLY WHY I HERE TONIGHT IS OUR NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM.
AND THAT PROGRAM WAS STARTED BACK IN 2017.
I HAVE SERVED AS THE COORDINATOR FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED TO FOLLOW THESE KIDS THROUGH WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND EVEN MORE SO EXCITING FOR OUR FIRST GROUP OF SENIORS TO BE GRADUATING THIS YEAR.
SO I AM ONE OF FIVE OTHER COORDINATORS IN THE STATE AS WE ARE WORKING IN THIS PROGRAM TO HELP GET KIDS READY FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER IT BE COLLEGE CAREER OR A LITTLE OF BOTH.
SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO WITH OUR STUDENTS AND WITH OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS.
AND ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
[INAUDIBLE] TURNER IS ACTUALLY THE CAROLINE COUNTY STUDENT AMBASSADOR, SHE PARTICIPATES IN MONTHLY TWICE A MONTH CALLS ACTUALLY WITH OTHER STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL, WHETHER IT'S BEEN COVID IT'S BEEN A BIG TOPIC, WHETHER IT'S BEEN DOING SOME OUTREACH AND REACHING OUT TO DIFFERENT BUSINESS PEOPLE AND LEARNING ABOUT THE POSITIONS THAT THEY HAVE.
SHE HAS BEEN A GREAT PERSON TO REPRESENT CAROLINE COUNTY, AND I WILL BE SAD TO HAVE HER LEAVE US AT THE END OF THIS YEAR WHEN SHE GRADUATES.
BUT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHO WILL REPLACE HER IN THE COMING YEAR.
WE CAN SCOOT DOWN THE SCREEN A LITTLE BIT.
SO OUR PROGRAM IS FOUNDED IN DOING FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES REALLY AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT OUR PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE HAD THE EXPLORE STAGE, THE ENGAGED STAGE AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THAT EXECUTING AND ELEVATE STAGE, WHICH IS RACKING UP THOSE THAT 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH GRADE TOWARDS THE END OF HIGH SCHOOL.
AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE DO, I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF MORE DETAIL ON WHAT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES THOSE PROGRAMS INCLUDE.
BUT SINCE IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU ALL, I DID
[03:30:06]
WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE.LOOKING BACK AT LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH SEEMS LIKE IT WAS AN ENTIRE ETERNITY AGO, BUT JUST A BRIEF SNAPSHOT.
I HAD ABOUT SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FAMILIAR, THESE THIS PROGRAM IS TARGETING SOME OF OUR LOWER INCOME STUDENTS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY, HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE GUARANTEED ACCESS GRANT, WHICH WILL HELP STUDENTS PAY FOR COLLEGE, SPECIFICALLY IN MARYLAND COLLEGES.
IT CAN PROVIDE UP TO A FULL RIDE DEPENDING ON WHICH SCHOOL THEY CHOOSE TO GO TO.
I BELIEVE LAST YEAR'S AWARD WAS NINETEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS HERE IN THE COUNTY THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS LAST YEAR.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, IT SAYS TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY ABC GOALS MET FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I REALLY CHALLENGED MY STUDENTS TO WORK TOWARDS MEETING THEIR ABC GOALS, AND THAT INCLUDES AN ATTENDANCE GOAL OF BEING IN SCHOOL 93 PERCENT OF THE YEAR, A BEHAVIORAL GOAL OF NO SUSPENSIONS OR REFERRALS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE RELATED GOAL OF MAINTAINING AT LEAST A 2.5 GPA.
AND AT THE END OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, THE TWENTY NINETEEN TO TWENTY TWENTY SCHOOL YEAR, TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY OF MY STUDENTS MET THEIR GOALS, WHICH I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT, ESPECIALLY COMING INTO A VERY STRANGE END OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED, HOPEFUL THAT NUMBER WILL INCREASE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE CONTINUED WITH OUR TRADITIONAL COLLEGE AND CAREER VISITS LAST YEAR.
OUR FIRST ONE, WE KICKED OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I THINK IT WAS ON DAY 10 OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR WAS OUR VISIT TO SALISBURY UNIVERSITY.
WE HAD THIRTY ONE STUDENTS ATTEND THAT TRIP, WHICH WAS NOT TOO BAD CONSIDERING THAT IT WAS THE 10TH DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO SIT IN ON AN ADMISSIONS SESSION, A CAMPUS TOUR, AND WERE ABLE TO ATTEND A FOOTBALL GAME, WHICH WAS SUPER EXCITING.
IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE STUDENTS A LOOK AT WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF THEY CHOSE TO ATTEND SALISBURY UNIVERSITY.
WE ALSO HAD TOOK OUR JUNIORS LAST YEAR TO THE NACAC COLLEGE FAIR, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY RUN COLLEGE FAIR IN BALTIMORE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WE HAD FIFTY NINE STUDENTS ATTEND THAT AND THAT WAS JUNIORS IN THE NEXT GEN PROGRAM WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH DIFFERENT COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES AND JUST SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO GO TO COLLEGE.
AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE EVERYTHING GOT CRAZY LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO VISIT THE NAVAL ACADEMY, WHERE WE TOOK FORTY SIX STUDENTS AND THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT CAREERS IN STEM, DIFFERENT MILITARY AND TECHNOLOGY CAREERS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
AND OF COURSE, HAVING ADMISSION SESSION AND LEARN ABOUT THE NAVAL ACADEMY IS A UNIQUE WAY TO APPLY FOR COLLEGE.
AND IT WAS ANOTHER REALLY, REALLY GREAT SESSION THAT I AM VERY EXCITED THAT WE GOT IN LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THE OTHER PARTS OF WHAT WE FOCUS ON, I KNOW I MENTIONED WE DO A LOT OF COLLEGE PREP, WE ALSO DO SOME CAREER READINESS.
SO FOR OUR 10TH GRADERS, EACH YEAR WE HAVE A CAREER TOUR WHERE WE VISIT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
I HAVE ON THE SCREEN WHAT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES WE VISITED LAST YEAR WERE.
I ALSO INCLUDED A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT ONE OF OUR SURVEYS THAT I HAVE THE KIDS COMPLETE FOR ME EACH YEAR, WHAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPE OF JOB THEY WANT, AND THAT THOSE ARE THE RESULTS OF CAREERS AND AV AND ARTS.
WERE ONE OF THE TOP ONES, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IN THE YEARS PRIOR, THAT WAS NOT ONE THAT WAS LISTED.
SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, THEY BECAME INTERESTED IN THAT.
AND THEN OUR NEW PROGRAM THAT WE HAD BACK HERE WAS OUR MOCK INTERVIEWS THAT WE HAD FOR OUR JUNIORS.
THIS EVENT WAS PREFACED BY A SOFT SKILLS PRESENTATION WHERE I VISITED ALL JUNIOR OR 11TH GRADE ENGLISH CLASSES AND SHARED A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON SOFT SKILLS, INTERVIEW SKILLS, TIPS ON BUILDING RESUMES.
SO STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO THEN SIGN UP FOR A MOCK INTERVIEW WHERE THEY WERE ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED BY LOCAL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS WHO CAME IN.
A LOT OF THEM WERE DIFFERENT, LIKE H.R.
REPS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL COMPANIES AND WERE ABLE TO INTERVIEW SOME OF THESE
[03:35:01]
STUDENTS.THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AT COLONEL RICHARDSON, THE NUMBER THAT IS INDICATED THERE TWENTY FIVE STUDENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR MOCK INTERVIEW DATE WAS SCHEDULED FOR LATE MARCH LAST YEAR.
AND SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, WERE CLOSED BY THAT POINT.
SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THE NORTH CAROLINE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT TYPE OF EVENT THE SAME WAY THAT THE COLONEL STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO.
BUT IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT AND HAD TONS OF GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE STUDENTS IN THE INTERVIEWING PARTICIPANTS.
ANOTHER EVENT THAT OUR STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN LAST YEAR WAS YOUTH CONGRESS DAY.
THIS EVENT WAS ACTUALLY HEADED UP BY MARYLAND BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE FOR EDUCATION, AND IT WAS A DAY SPENT IN ANNAPOLIS AT THE STATE HOUSE WHERE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO TOUR THE CAPITOL, VIEW A FLOOR SESSION IN THE SENATE.
AND THEN THERE WAS A LUNCHEON PROGRAM WITH SPEAKERS AND AWARDS.
AND IT WAS A REALLY GREAT DAY FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS TO FIGURE OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND LEARN SOME.
AND EVEN IN THE PICTURE, ONE OF OUR STUDENTS, THAT WAS [INAUDIBLE] STANFORD, HE WAS ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED BY WBAL.
SO THAT WAS PRETTY EXCITING FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THE NEWS THAT EVENING.
SO IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT.
WE ARE HAVING YOUTH CONGRESS DAY AGAIN THIS YEAR, IT IS VIRTUAL, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO EXTENDING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MORE STUDENTS THIS YEAR.
OK, SO LAST YEAR WE DID ADJUST TO DO VIRTUAL SUMMER PROGRAMING, SUMMER PROGRAMING HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL TO OUR NEXT GENERATION SCHOLAR STUDENTS.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT ABLE TO BE IN PERSON, WE STILL WANTED TO OFFER DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THE ONE GOOD THING THAT CAME OUT OF BEING VIRTUAL LAST SUMMER WAS THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER MORE PROGRAMING TO MORE STUDENTS.
SO WE HAD NINE PROGRAMS THAT OUR STUDENTS COULD SIGN UP FOR AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT RANGED FROM LIKE PROGRAMS LEARNING ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAREERS LIKE HEALTH CARE AND MARINE BIOLOGY TO ACTUAL SKILLS TO HELP THEM BE READY FOR COLLEGE AND CAREERS.
WE HAD AN ADULTING 101 WORKSHOP THAT WE PARTNERED WITH 4H FOR.
WE HAD A COLLEGE ESSAY WRITING SESSION WHERE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COME AND LEARN ABOUT THE COLLEGE ESSAY AND ACTUALLY DRAFT AND GET FEEDBACK ON THEIR PERSONAL ESSAYS.
THAT WAS ALSO A VERY EXCITING PROGRAM.
WE ALSO OFFERED SOME LIVE WORKSHOPS WHERE STUDENTS COULD LOG INTO EITHER OUR FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM PAGES AND LEARN MORE AND ENGAGE WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THOSE WERE WELL RECEIVED AS WELL.
SO LOOKING AT THIS SCHOOL YEAR, NOW THAT WE ARE JUST ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH IT, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I AM WORKING WITH 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH GRADE STUDENTS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING.
I LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THESE STUDENTS, SEE HOW THEY'VE GROWN SINCE THEY WERE SEVENTH, EIGHTH AND NINTH GRADERS, ESPECIALLY AS THIS FIRST CLASS IS GETTING READY TO GRADUATE.
I AM VERY, VERY EXCITED FOR THAT.
IT IS VERY IT HAS BEEN VERY ENCOURAGING TO SEE EVEN THROUGHOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED THIS YEAR AND THE CHALLENGES THESE STUDENTS HAVE FACED, THAT THEY ARE STILL INTERESTED IN GOING TO COLLEGE AND PURSUING THEIR CAREERS AND GETTING READY FOR ALL OF THAT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT THEM THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN.
WE HAVE NOT LET GO OF ANY OF OUR PROGRAMING.
DESPITE BEING VIRTUAL, WE ARE OFFERING DIFFERENT FINANCIAL AID NIGHTS FOR OUR SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING UP NEXT WEEK THAT JUST TO HELP THESE FAMILIES GET READY FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW TO EVEN APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR COLLEGE AND SPECIFICALLY FOR GUARANTEED ACCESS JUST BECAUSE THAT IS A GRANT PROGRAM THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR.
WE HAD OUR VIRTUAL CAREER TOURS BACK ON JANUARY 14TH, WHERE WE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUSINESSES FROM AROUND THE COUNTY PARTICIPATE.
THAT SCREENSHOT THERE IS ACTUALLY FROM OUR EVENT.
IT WAS A GREAT EVENT FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO DID TURN OUT FOR THAT.
AND WE HAVE SOME COLLEGE VISITS PLANNED AS WELL.
AGAIN, THEY ARE VIRTUAL WITH JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY COMING UP HERE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
BUT WE ALSO WILL BE VISITING MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND STEVENSON UNIVERSITY LATER THIS SPRING.
AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO REALLY HELPING OUR 10TH AND 11TH GRADERS IN THAT MOMENT START CONSIDERING WHAT KIND OF COLLEGE THEY MAY WANT TO ATTEND.
WE HAVE A TON OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT WE KEEP SHARING WITH
[03:40:03]
THEM.OF COURSE, WE HAVE AN APP WITHIN MY ORGANIZATION CALLED WAY TO BE IS ACTUALLY A SPINOFF OF OUR MAGAZINE THAT WE PUBLISH EACH YEAR, WHICH IS BY THE SAME NAME.
SO I'M EXCITED TO BE BACK IN PERSON WITH THESE STUDENTS SO I CAN GIVE THEM THEIR MAGAZINES ONCE I HAVE MANY BOXES OF THEM.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO GET THEM OUT TO THE STUDENTS.
AND THEY'RE FILLED WITH LOTS OF GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT COLLEGE AND CAREERS.
I ALSO DID CREATE JOINED THE GOOGLE CLASSROOM BANDWAGON AND THEY CREATE A VIRTUAL CLASSROOM FILLED WITH DIFFERENT RESOURCES FOR MY STUDENTS FROM, YOU KNOW, TIPS FROM WRITING THEIR COLLEGE ESSAY TO GAINING ACCESS TO [INAUDIBLE] SO THEY CAN USE THE RESOURCES THAT [INAUDIBLE] PROVIDES AND JUST WAYS TO CHECK IN WITH ME.
SO LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS OUT THERE FOR THESE STUDENTS.
AND I AM VERY EAGER TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SO THAT WAS A VERY BRIEF SNAPSHOT.
EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS WORLD.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PROGRAMING OR ANYTHING I CAN CLARIFY? BOARD MEMBERS? I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE [INAUDIBLE]AND THE NAVAL ACADEMY ONCE, I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT AND IT WAS IT WAS AWESOME EXPERIENCE.
SO IF YOU CAN EVER GO ON ONE OF THOSE, I WOULD GO.
MEGAN HAS THE WHOLE THING PLANNED OUT REALLY WELL.
IT'S VERY ORGANIZED TO KEEP THE KIDS UNDER CONTROL.
IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM AND SHE DOES A GREAT JOB.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW, THE MORGAN DATE, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE VIRTUAL TOUR IN MORGAN.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED IT YET.
I KNOW WE'RE SHOOTING FOR MARCH FOR THAT TRIP, BUT ONCE I HAVE THAT DATE, I CAN PASS IT ALONG.
AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE HELPING OUR KIDS MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAVE THE RECRUITING UPDATE, THE ATTACHMENTS THERE'S A WHOLE NEW WORLD, AS YOU POINTED OUT, ALL VIRTUAL.
THERE ARE A COUPLE IN PERSON IT IS A MOVING, LIKE FLUID LIST IF YOU WILL.
YOU KNOW, THE MARYLAND, THE [INAUDIBLE] ONE HASN'T EVEN REALLY CONFIRMED.
I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN HAPPENING.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF TRACTION WITH THAT.
YOU KNOW TALK ABOUT DOING A LOCAL FAIR DURING THE SPRING, A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, BUT THE DATES ARE THERE.
AND THAT IS A WHOLE NEW WORLD [INAUDIBLE] JUST BECAUSE, IT'LL BE GOING INTO BREAK OUT ROOMS AND INTERVIEWING AND HOPING STUDENTS SIGN UP AND COME INTO OUR ROOMS AS WE GO.
WHEN YOU'RE AT FAIRS [INAUDIBLE] REALLY DIFFERENT AND YOU HAVE YOUR [INAUDIBLE] ABLE TO TALK TO [INAUDIBLE].
AND THIS IS JUST A VERY DIFFERENT SETTING.
WHAT'S A VIRTUAL TCHOTCHKE? [LAUGHTER] AN AMAZON ORDER.
[INAUDIBLE] WHAT DOES HBCU MEAN? GOOD QUESTION.
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE UNIVERSITY.
YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE TO REPORT THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE].
AND THEN [INAUDIBLE] STATE, I REALLY ENJOY GOING TO [INAUDIBLE] STATE.
THAT WILL BE VIRTUAL THIS YEAR.
AND THEN [INAUDIBLE] STATE I LIKE KIND TO EXPLORE A LITTLE BIT A 200 MILE RADIUS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF LOOK AT.
IT'S A LITTLE FAR, BUT I WANTED TO ATTEND IN PERSON LAST YEAR, BUT WE'LL TRY IT VIRTUAL THIS YEAR.
ANY LUCK WITH MORGAN? YOU KNOW, I WENT THERE VIRTUALLY A COUPLE TIMES.
REALLY BIG FAIR AND SOME EDUCATION FAIRS IT IS TRICKY TO ENGAGE SOMETIMES.
THAT'S THE ONE THING IN EDUCATION FAIR, YOU SEE THE MOST OF YESES, A LOT ARE NO'S AND SOME OF THEM ARE NOT EDUCATION FAIRS YOU JUST YOU'RE STANDING NEXT TO BANKING AND [INAUDIBLE].
SO ARE JUST SOMETIMES TRICKY TO ENGAGE.
AND OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU MIGHT COME ACROSS A BUSINESS MAJOR OR A MATH MAJOR [INAUDIBLE].
WELL YOU NEED ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE] TEACHING.
AND SO NOT IMPOSSIBLE, JUST A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING [INAUDIBLE].
AND IS [INAUDIBLE] HERE? [INAUDIBLE]'S NOT, I DIDN'T HAVE A DATE FOR THEM.
THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S KIND OF FLUID ON HERE A LITTLE BIT.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON, PUBLIC COMMENT.
[7. Public Comment]
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? HEAR THE ADVICE OF INTERESTED CITIZENS, THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION IS[03:45:03]
[INAUDIBLE] FOR THAT PURPOSE.THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES ARE TO BE FOLLOWED DURING THIS TIME.
CITIZENS ARE ADVISED TO EMAIL THEIR [INAUDIBLE] PUBLIC COMMENT TO [INAUDIBLE] .
THERE IS A FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR EACH E-MAIL, SPECIFIC AND PERSONAL REFERENCES TO STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES OR OTHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
[INAUDIBLE] BRING SOMETHING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD ABOUT SPECIFIC PERSON OR STUDENT, THEY MAY DO SO IN WRITING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD.
RUDE SLANDERS OR THREATING REMARKS ARE NOT PERMITTED.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES NOT ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION OF THE MATTER [INAUDIBLE] DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF APPROPRIATE THE BOARD MAY DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE FOLLOWING THE MEETING.
YES, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND IT IS FROM LESLIE BANDURA.
I HAVE TWO GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE DOING VIRTUAL LEARNING.
I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO ALLOW IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.
MY CONCERN IS THE VENTILATION IN THE SCHOOLS.
I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY INFORMATION ON HOW AIR CIRCULATION CAUSED BY HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS IN SCHOOLS WILL BE ADDRESSED.
THE AGE OF SOME OF THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENT OR LACK THEREOF LEAVE ME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT VENTILATION.
SEPARATING THE CHILDREN, MASKS, SANITIZING ARE IMPORTANT STEPS TO A SAFE SCHOOL REOPENING.
BUT WITHOUT PROPER VENTILATION, THERE IS STILL A RISK.
I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING HOW AIR CIRCULATION IS BEING MANAGED AT EACH AT EACH SCHOOL TO KEEP STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HEALTHY.
SOME STUFF MINNESOTA SCHOOLS ARE DOING AND MS. BANDURA SHARED A LINK.
AND SHE THERE IS ALSO A LOCAL STORY WITH LOTS OF LINKS AND SHE SHARED THAT LINK.
ALSO, THOSE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE BOARD AND THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE], CAN YOU I'M JUST CURIOUS, CAN WE FORWARD THAT EMAIL TO BOARD MEMBERS SO I CAN CLICK ON THAT LINK WITHOUT TRYING TO TYPE IT? YES.
I'D JUST BE CURIOUS TO READ IT.
AND MS. BANDURA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
I KNOW DR. SAELENS, YOU'LL RESPOND TO THAT BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATION LAST MONTH ABOUT HOW OUR FACILITIES ARE MANAGED.
AND I DID ASK MR. NAGEL ABOUT SOME OF THE HVAC THINGS THIS EVENING, AND I THINK HE SHARED SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU.
SO WE SENT SEND OUT BACK OUT TO HER.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GO ON THE RECORD AND SAY, YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY, I GUESS WE DID GET ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS SPECIFIC NAMES MENTIONED AND IT WAS AGAINST OUR POLICY, THAT PUBLIC COMMENT WAS NOT READ.
CORRECT, BUT IT WAS SHARED WITH ALL BOARD MEMBERS.
BUT IT WAS SHARED WITH ALL BOARD MEMBERS.
AND I'LL JUST I'LL JUST GO ON THE RECORD AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS NEW WORLD OF STREAMING EVERYTHING, WE'VE ALWAYS RECORDED OUR MEETINGS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR MINUTES AND DOCUMENTATION PURPOSES.
IF ANYBODY NEEDED TO REVIEW THEM FOR THE DECISIONS WE'VE MADE.
THEY'VE NEVER BEEN UNTIL COVID STREAMED TO THE WORLD WIDE, YOU KNOW, INSTANTANEOUSLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL BEEN KNOWN TO JOKE SOMETIMES AND GET OFF OUR AGENDA.
AND I GUESS WE JUST NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF THAT THESE DAYS.
THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE HAVING A MEETING WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIVE.
SO AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING TOO WHEN THAT VIDEO WAS THERE.
IF YOU IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR AGENDA, YOU'RE CURIOUS ON WHAT TOPIC, YOU KNOW, IS THERE TEN PEOPLE WATCHING OR 300 PEOPLE WATCHING? JUST MIGHT BE A REMINDER TO US ALL TO MAKE SURE WE TRY TO BE AS PROFESSIONAL AS POSSIBLE AND STAY ON, STAY ON STAY ON TASK.
BUT WE DID GET THE COMMENTS AND APPRECIATE THEM.
MOVING ON FROM PUBLIC COMMENT.
[8. Discussion of Items for Future Board Action]
YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTERESTED IN THE DISCUSSION FOR ITEMS FOR FUTURE TOPICS.EACH CONVERSATION WE HAD, I THINK.
WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS THAT COME UP, AND I KNOW DR. SAELENS TRY TO MOVE THEM THROUGH TO FOR US, PUT THEM ON THE AGENDA AND HOPEFULLY INTO OUR NEXT WORK SESSION, WE'LL GET TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS AS WE MOVED IN THERE.
[10. Upcoming Meetings and Events]
MOVING ON TO UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS.YOU SEE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT FEBRUARY 16TH BOARD WORK SESSION.
AND THAT'S AT 6:00 P.M., AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I GUESS, DR. SAELENS AND MS.
[03:50:01]
[INAUDIBLE] FOR I THINK THE BOARD IS GOING TO COME IN AT COME IN EARLY FOR FOUR OR FIVE.HAVEN'T BEEN DETERMINED YET JUST SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, NOTIFY THE PUBLIC AT THE TIME FOR CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE 16TH WORK SESSION.
[INAUDIBLE] POSTED OUT TO THE PUBLIC, JUST LET THEM KNOW.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ADD ON THAT MEETING'S ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED, BUT WE'RE GOING TO THE BOARD IS GOING TO MEET IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THAT SIX O'CLOCK MEETING, TENTATIVELY RIGHT NOW, LET'S JUST SAY FOUR.
DEPENDING ON TOPICS IT MIGHT GO TO, YOU KNOW, MIGHT START LATER.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY FOUR TO SIX PRIOR TO THE WORK SESSION, SINCE THAT MEETING'S ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED.
OK, RACHEL, YOU GOT THAT? RACHEL [INAUDIBLE] THAT TOPIC AS WELL [INAUDIBLE].
YOU NEED TO TELL THEN ABOUT THE 11TH.
AND THAT'LL BE YOU KNOW, PERSONNEL WILL ALSO BE MEETING ON THE 11TH, FEBRUARY 11TH FROM THREE TO FIVE.
FOR PERSONNEL BOARD ONLY MEETING WITH OUR BOARD ATTORNEY AND THEN JUST TO HAVE IT OUT THERE, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND WE ARE JUST MIGHT NEED IT, MIGHT NOT NEED IT, BUT WE'RE GOING AHEAD AND TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED ON FEBRUARY TWENTY THIRD.
SAME THING, YES, JUST JUST TO GET THEM OUT THERE.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO BRING UP? [INAUDIBLE] SHOULD FOUND OUT EARLIER, BUT I GUESS WE'VE GOT A NEW HIRE AND WE SAW HIM VIRTUALLY RIGHT, MR. PINDAR.
VERY NICE ORGANIZATION, [INAUDIBLE].
WELL, NO OFFENSE, BUT YOU LOOK BETTER IN REAL LIFE THAN YOU DO VIRTUALLY.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE? NOT IF NOT I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND GETTING US THROUGH THIS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.